


Redemption

by WildClover27 (PrairieFlower)



Category: Garrison's Gorillas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 45,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22412758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrairieFlower/pseuds/WildClover27
Summary: What happens when Actor decides he no longer wishes to be Actor? Warning: This story is going to have adult content.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Non-canon characters are mine and not to be used in other writers' stories.

It was frigidly cold in the belly of the Halifax bomber. There wasn’t much talk among the men as they concentrated on trying to keep warm, hands in jacket pockets and collars turned up to chins. Three of the men sat on the bench that lined one curved wall of the plane. Garrison and Actor sat on the opposite side. 

Craig kept an eye on the Italian. Actor had been withdrawn before they had even left the mansion. Now, he kept to the far end of the bench, pulled in on himself, whether for warmth or from illness or depression, Craig did not know.

“How’s your head?” Garrison called loudly to be heard over the roar of the engines.

“I am quite fine, Warden,” replied the con man, not looking up and with a tone that invited no further conversation.

“Then you’re the only one, Beautiful,” Casino shouted back.

Actor ignored him. He sat alone, contemplating his life. His memory was fully intact now. The bad part was, he also remembered what it was like to briefly not be a convict, a liar and a thief. He had no desire to go back to his larcenous ways, but he did not know how to prevent it. It was what he did. It was the only thing he did. What could he do instead? He had not finished his surgeon’s training. No one would accept him into a program with his prison record. What else was he good at? He could please the ladies in bed and he did love pleasing the ladies. He could become a gigolo and be kept by one woman or another. He had done that when he had been starting out. It was degrading. He could think of nothing else he was accomplished at besides lying, cheating, and thieving. His eyes squeezed shut against a growing headache and lightheadedness. The altitude and diminished oxygen were not helping the remnants of the concussion. Hopefully, he would feel better once they were on the ground.

The jump did not improve matters any. The jerk of his body in the harness when the chute opened jarred his neck and head and he almost passed out. When he landed, he went down on one knee in the snow and had to rest a moment to get his wits about him before he could gather his chute. This left him with a cold wet pant leg which did not help his discomfort any. What he did remember from stir was that you did not show any sign of weakness, so by outward appearance, he seemed unaffected.

They had a five mile walk to their rendezvous. It was through dark woods and they meandered around patches of snow to leave no tracks. Chief took the point. In a change of routine, Craig put Actor behind him and had Casino take up the rear. His second still wasn’t acting right and Craig was worried that Actor wasn’t well enough to be doing this. Garrison stopped frequently, ostensibly to consult his map, though Chief knew where he was going, but for the real purpose of giving Actor a rest. If the con man knew what he was doing, he did not address it. He silently accepted the frequent breaks to rest. That worried Garrison even more. Casino was aware of what was going on and wondered also if the con man was up to the task.

Reaching the meeting place, Craig and Actor stealthily crept forward under cover of bushes and waited. After a few minutes, there was movement in some nearby bushes.

“Roulette,” hissed a quiet French accent.

“Jackpot,” replied Craig just as low.

The three men met beside a tree.

“Arnaud?” asked Craig.

“Garrison?” replied the Frenchman.

The three, all dressed in peasant clothes, exchanged glances. They passed each other’s inspection. 

“It is another mile to the safe house,” said Arnaud.

Garrison nodded and motioned for the other three men to join them. They followed Arnaud and four more men through the woods. The safe house turned out to be a rustic hunting lodge. It had one bedroom, and a combination living room and kitchen.  
Actor picked out a large cushioned chair, stretched his long legs out, turned his head to the side and went to sleep. His behavior worried Garrison. The Italian rarely slept on the shorter missions. He was taking no interest in the planning. At the rendezvous, Actor had said nothing, seemingly content to stay in the background. That definitely wasn’t his second. Craig remained concerned that it was the aftereffects of the concussion.

In the wee hours before dawn, Casino and Goniff went into the town to procure a vehicle and uniforms. They returned a couple hours later with a Mercedes staff car and uniforms for all of them. Casino dumped the clothes on the table and looked askance at Garrison.

“This is it,” said the safecracker. “The pants are gonna be short on His Highness.”

“’Ey,” objected Goniff. “It was the best I could do. They must not make SS officers as big as ‘im in this part of France.”

“He’ll make it work. He always does,” said Garrison.

The commotion had awakened Actor. He glanced at the clothing with disinterest and went outside to relieve Chief on watch. Craig wasn’t sure this was a good thing for the Italian but knew if he broached the subject of Actor’s health, the man would deny any problems. Chief came in and casually made his way to Garrison’s side.

“Somethin’ ain’t right with Actor,” he said in a low voice. “He’s too quiet, even for Actor.”

It did not give Craig a good feeling to know that someone besides himself had picked up on the con man’s unusual behavior. “It’s probably the concussion. He’s pulled it off before with his chimes rung. He’ll be okay.”

“Hope so, Warden,” said Chief. He wandered off to get a piece of bread and cold bacon that had been left by the resistance, before going to stretch out in another chair.

An hour later, Garrison sent Goniff out to relieve Actor with the excuse of wanting to go over the plans with him. The tall man came in and looked at the map on the table. His demeanor seemed almost normal as he and Garrison rehashed the plans. Actor and Craig would go in the front door of the Wehrmacht headquarters and keep the guards occupied. Chief would stay with the car. Goniff and Casino would enter the commandant’s office through the window. Casino would open the safe and remove the papers. The two would then exit the way they came in. Actor and Garrison would leave irately out the door. They would then drive out to an abandoned field for a touch and go plane pick up under the watchful eye of the resistance. 

Craig called Casino over and Actor took his chair again. Normally the safecracker would have pitched a fit. Instead he just exchanged a concerned glance with Garrison before sitting down at the table. Craig pulled out a piece of paper with words written in German. Casino could not speak or read the language, so would have to rely on memorization of the spelling to identify the papers. Just as a lesson, Garrison tried to teach Casino the pronunciation of the words. The safecracker had a great deal of difficulty wrapping his mouth around the umlaut letters. They both gave it up as a lost cause for now. Craig wadded up the paper and tossed it into the fire.

It was getting late. The others had already changed into their German uniforms, but still, the door to the bedroom remained closed with no signs or sounds of Actor. Garrison knew it took the con man a long time to get perfectly dressed, but this was going to be a record. Chief was out by the car. Goniff and Casino were chomping at the bit to get this over with.

“What the hell’s taking him so long?” groused Casino.

“You’d think ‘e was getting ready for a bird,” added Goniff.

Garrison finally went up and knocked on the door. There was no answer. Cautiously, Craig opened the door, concerned he was going to find the con man flat on his face on the floor. Actor was sitting on the end of the bed, holding the white shirt of the SS officer. He was still completely clothed in the garments he had worn in. The man did not look up at the officer’s entrance but stared at some invisible spot on the floor in front of him. 

“Actor, what’s going on?” asked Craig. “We should be on the way in right now.”

“I am sorry, Warden,” said Actor slowly. “I cannot do this.”

“What do you mean you can’t do this?” asked Craig with concern. “What? Are you sick? What?”

“No,” replied the con man, still not looking up. “I cannot do this anymore. I cannot go back to the lying and the conning. I cannot go back to being that person.”

Craig could not believe what he was hearing. You have got to be kidding!” 

The con man shook his head. 

Garrison’s concern turned to anger. “Damn it, Actor!” he swore through gritted teeth. “I don’t care what you do when this war is over, but right now you are a vital part of this team. I need you out there being an SS colonel. Now get that damned uniform on!”

The Italian’s head slowly turned back and forth. “I am sorry, Lieutenant. I cannot.”

It was then that Craig realized he really wasn’t going to do it. With a string of oaths, Garrison went to the door and flung it open. “Get Chief in here,” he ordered to a startled Casino and Goniff, before slamming the door shut. He started taking off the uniform he had on. Angry eyes flashing, he said, “Actor, if I had time, I’d kick your ass all the way back to England for this.”

The con man remained wooden and seemingly unfazed by Garrison’s anger.

Chief came running in, shoving the door shut behind him. The Indian caught on reflex the tunic and blouse that were flung at him. Wide-eyed, he looked back and forth between a livid lieutenant and a catatonic confidence man.

“Put those on,” ordered Garrison. “You’ve just been promoted to Major.”

Chief stared at him in disbelief. “Warden, I don’t look like no Kraut officer! Hell, I don’t even speak Kraut. I don’t know how to be a major.”

“You’re going to learn fast. Just keep your mouth shut and stay behind me. Stand straight. Pretend there’s a gun in your back.”

“That’ll be easy,” said the Indian, quickly putting the clothes on that Garrison was taking off. “I’ll probably have a gun in my back.” He watched Craig yank the colonel’s uniform from Actor’s unresisting hands. “What’s the matter with Actor?” There was no response from the man.

“Apparently a sudden attack of conscience.”

Chief finished dressing first and watched Garrison put on the clothing and persona of a German officer. He stood still and watched with interest as the lieutenant straightened his uniform and adjusted the trappings of a colonel.

“Come on,” said Garrison.

“What about him?” asked Chief.

“We’ll pick him up on the way back . . . if he’s still here,” replied the angry man as he stormed out of the room. 

Chief took a last look at the unmoving confidence man and slowly followed Garrison.

“What the hell?” exclaimed Casino as he saw the obvious change in plans.

“Get a move on!” ordered Craig.

“Wot about Actor?” asked Goniff worriedly.

“Later! Move it!”

Chief slowly drove the big car down the dark and deserted street. Casino was sitting sullenly beside him. Goniff was in the back with the lieutenant. Chief pulled to the curb a block from the Gestapo building and let the safecracker and the pickpocket out. He watched as they disappeared into the shadows. Chief’s hands were sweaty despite the cold temperature. He wiped them on the heavy material of the riding britches. He pulled the car to the curb, right wheels on the ice in the gutter.

“I gotta leave the engine runnin’, Warden,” Chief cautioned.

“Okay,” replied Garrison. 

They both hoped the car would be there when they got out. If they got out. Craig took a minute to steel himself as Chief came around to open his door. Garrison could pull off being a German officer without any difficulty usually, however, he was not stupid. He knew with his boyish good looks he could not present the necessary intimidation Actor could with his greater height and disdainful bearing. There was nothing to be done about it. Garrison just hoped his rank would be sufficient to scare the night guard. Then there was Chief. The younger man seemed to be trying to imitate the con man. At least he was straight and had a closed expression.

Craig got out of the car. He strode up the granite steps, Chief skirting around him when he halted, to open the door. Garrison swept inside. Chief stayed behind him and a step to the right so the knife hand was clear. The very young corporal seated behind the desk along the wall of the empty main hall focused on the colonel’s insignias and the SS runes, leapt to terrified attention.

Craig did his level best to look haughty. “I am Colonel Kessler and this is Major Gunter. We are here to inspect the security of this facility,” he said in German.

“I-I will call Colonel Mueller,” stuttered the young man.

“You will not!” ordered Garrison. “If the SS wished for him to cover up any inefficiencies, we would have notified him of the inspection. You will remain at your station while we check the building.”

The corporal knew he was going to be in trouble with his colonel. Belatedly he remembered what he was supposed to do.

“Sir, may I see your papers please?” he asked hesitantly.

“You should have asked for our papers immediately!” barked Garrison. “We will make a note of your laxity. We are SS, we do not need to show you our papers. You will wait here!”

The two SS officers strode down the hall, leaving the hapless corporal to collapse onto his chair. They made their way up and down the side halls, stalling for time to give Casino and Goniff time to break in and get the papers from the safe. The first floor done, they went to the second floor and did the same.

Goniff got the window open to Colonel Mueller’s office. Casino bypassed the single strand alarm system and the two stealthily climbed into the room. Casino pulled the blackout drape closed and flicked on a small hand torch. As seemed to be customary with the Krauts, the wall safe was behind Hitler’s portrait. He wondered if they thought the Fuhrer would protect their safes just with his picture.

Goniff held the torch while Casino worked the dial of the safe. He was inside in under thirty seconds. Opening it, he grinned at the contents. 

“Bingo,” he whispered to the Englishman. 

Casino pulled out and examined the papers, checking for the correct wording before stuffing them inside his jacket. Goniff peered inside the safe and grinned, reaching in to pull out a packet of French currency. The two quickly emptied the safe of a large amount of money. Casino closed it up, wiped it down, and replaced the portrait, wiping it down too. Goniff was back out the window first, followed by the safecracker. They erased any signs of entry and high tailed it down the alley to wait by the street for their pick up.

Inside, Garrison came down the stairs, followed by Chief. They had been there long enough. Chief, being used to covering the tail, lagged behind as the ‘colonel’ strode down the hall toward the door, not dignifying the guard with even a look. The unhappy corporal had enough time to become more worried about what his commanding officer would say than these officers who would be leaving. He waited for the colonel to get to the door and called out to the major who was behind.

“Herr Major,” he tried to hide the fear in his voice. “I need to see your papers.”

Chief froze, not understanding anything but the first two words. He didn’t know what to do or how to respond. The two stared at each other. Garrison turned and started back. He knew the crap was about to hit the fan. The corporal came to the conclusion these two weren’t what they said they were and pulled a pistol on the major. Chief’s arm flashed out, but the gun went off.


	2. Chapter 2

The knife embedded in the chest of the corporal, but not before the gun fired. Chief felt a tug to the left sleeve of his uniform and a burning pain in his upper arm. Ignoring it for now, he leapt forward and retrieved his knife, wiping the blade on the dead man’s uniform. 

Garrison shot a quick look at Chief’s arm and motioned him to follow. They ran from the building. “Get in the front,” Craig yelled as he ran around to get in the driver’s seat. He thanked the powers that be for the car still being there and the engine still running. The big car fishtailed, tires skidding on ice, as it tore off down the street. Looking in the rearview mirror, Garrison saw two soldiers run out to the middle of the street. As they began firing, he powered the heavy vehicle around the corner. 

Casino and Goniff had heard the shooting. They saw the car barrel down toward them and skid to a stop just long enough for them to fling themselves in the back. Garrison roared off, taking another corner almost on two wheels.

“Jeez, Warden, you drive like your sister,” complained Casino as he was flung around in the backseat along with Goniff. “What happened?”

Craig ignored him and glanced at Chief. “How bad?”

Chief peered at the bloody sleeve and flexed his hand. “Don’t think it’s too bad, Warden.”

“Did you get the papers?” Garrison called to the two in back.

“Yeah,” replied Casino trying to peer over the seat at the Indian’s arm. “What happened to you two?”

“Guard got overzealous,” replied Craig.

Craig scooted the big car through alleys and around side streets until he was out of the area and then slowed to an agonizing normal speed so as not to attract attention. Once out of town, Garrison picked up speed and drove to the safe house in a manner again reminiscent of Terry’s driving. As they slid to a stop, Goniff hung over the back of the front seat to attend to Chief. 

“Casino, come on! We have to get Actor and the stuff out of here before they set up road blocks.” Craig jumped out of the car and headed for the house.

Casino tore after the lieutenant. They entered the house to find the bags neatly piled by the door and Actor standing beside the pile watching them.

Enraged, Casino took a step toward the con man. “You asshole, I oughta bust your head again for yuh! You got Chief shot!”

Garrison was grabbing bags. “Casino, move it! Actor, get in the car!” He was just as angry at his second as the safecracker was.

Actor picked up a bag and followed Casino out, stung by the deliverance of the order, but figuring he deserved it. The bags were put in the trunk of the car. Actor and Casino got in the back. Craig got back behind the wheel. The con man leaned over the back of the front seat, touching Chief’s shoulder. 

“You are hit?” he asked.

“Later!” barked Garrison. “We don’t have time now.”

Chief ignored the confidence man. Actor slipped back into the seat. He cast a glance beside him at Goniff. The blond was studiously looking straight ahead, unsmiling. Actor did not wish to see Casino’s expression. Actor assumed the Warden’s anger was the only thing keeping the safecracker from coming over the top of Goniff to get at him.

Craig drove until they were on the dirt road to the field where the plane was supposed to land. He pulled to a stop and they got out, retrieved the bags and changed out of the German uniforms. Chief left the white shirt on with the rag tied around his upper arm, donning a jacket with the bad arm remaining out of the sleeve. Leaving the car, they shouldered their bags and walked the rest of the way in. 

A small group of resistance met them. As the plane approached, beacon fires were lit and quickly extinguished. Garrison and the men ran to the plane and got in as it barely stopped moving. It became airborne without problems.

Once the plane leveled out, Actor left his seat and moved over to Chief. He was concerned the young man had been shot. The Indian looked at him warily.

“I am sorry you were injured,” said Actor quietly. “Let me see how bad it is.”

“Leave it,” spat Chief just as quietly, but such vehemence Actor froze. “It ain’t bad. Terry can take care of it when we get back to England. Don’t need your help. You left us hangin’, Man. Don’t need nothin’ more from you.”

Hazel eyes locked with dark brown ones. Actor could see the pain and betrayal in the younger man’s face. It stabbed into the Italian’s already guilty frame of mind. “As you wish,” Actor said, turning away. He pretended indifference as he sought a place to sit away from the others. Hostility radiated though the belly of the plane in palpable waves.

Actor pulled inside himself again. He hadn’t realized how painful it would be to lose the young Indian’s respect and friendship. He tried to systematically work through the conflict that warred within him. He was a convict and a con man. There was no denying that. Now that he had experienced a tiny bit of time without that knowledge, he did not wish to go back to that way of life. By his refusal to do his part with the group, Chief had been injured. It was his fault. They all knew it. As long as he was with the group, he was a liability if he continued this way. Would they even allow him to stay with the group? Would the group accept him anymore if he did stay? All of them, including the lieutenant, were angry with him, and rightly so. Where could he go? If he scarpered, as Goniff termed it, where could he go? Switzerland? He would have to cross war-torn Europe and the only way to do that was to con his way through. Once he made it to Switzerland, then what? All he knew how to do was the con. The alternative was returning to prison, which was probably where Garrison would send him. The thought of being confined in that cell on the Rock again was unbearable. His mind, still slowed by the concussion, could not work out a plan. He curled up in a corner and feigned sleep. His mind played the alternatives in an endless cycle which granted him neither rest nor peace. To give up the confidence game would cost him his friends, his freedom and possibly his life. He had already lost his family so there could be no reconciliation with them. To continue with the criminal lifestyle he had been leading up to this point continued to be unacceptable. There was no acceptable answer he could see.

GGGGG

Garrison pulled the Packard up the drive to the mansion. He gave the signal on the horn, one long, three short to alert Terry. She met them at the door. Craig shook his head at her.

“Who’s hurt?” she asked, 

“Chief,” said Craig. 

Terry stepped back as her brother pushed past her. The other men entered the house, their moods no better than Garrison’s. Actor moved past her, expression stiff, and went directly upstairs, not looking at her. Casino and Goniff dumped their gear in a pile on the floor. They stepped back to help Chief shrug out of his jacket. At the younger man’s nod of thanks, they strode up the stairs. Garrison shot her a look she couldn’t interpret and shut himself in his office. Nobody had even looked at the plate of sandwiches. For Goniff to pass up food meant something had gone very wrong. Terry looked at the rag tied around the Indian’s bloody upper arm.

“Didn’t you guys have an aid kit?” asked Terry, leading the way to the game table in the common room. The rough bandage was not Actor’s work.

“Wanted you to take care of it,” said Chief sullenly before she could ask questions.

Terry opened her aid kit and got the sulfa and dressings out. She picked the knot loose, removing the bandage. Chief pulled his arm out of the sleeve. The wound wasn’t bad. It was a shallow crease just below Chief’s deltoid. Terry started cleaning up around it with gauze and peroxide.

“What happened?” she asked as she worked.

“Got shot,” said Chief, wincing as peroxide hit the wound.

“I can see that,” said Terry in exasperation. “How?”

“Can’t play no damned SS major,” said Chief with disgust. “Can’t even speak the language.”

“What were you doing playing an SS major?” asked Terry is surprise.

“Had to. Actor cut out on us.”

Terry stared at him. “What? What do you mean he cut out on you?”

“Ask the Warden,” said Chief sullenly. “He’s the one talked to Actor.” That was last the man would say.

Terry cleansed the wound and closed it with tape before dressing it. Chief muttered a thanks and went upstairs. After quickly cleaning up her mess, Terry let herself into Garrison’s office.

Craig was sitting behind his desk. The whiskey bottle was uncorked in front of him. He shifted his eyes to his sister while tossing a shot down his throat. Terry approached cautiously.

“What happened?” she asked.

Craig shook his head. “Not now. Not tonight. I need to calm down. I’m this close,” he held thumb and forefinger a hair’s breadth apart, “to throwing Actor in the stockade right now. Just leave it till morning. And stay away from him.”

Normally Terry would have thrown a retort back at that, but not knowing what the situation was, she bit her tongue instead. Stepping back, she turned and silently left the office. The untouched plate of sandwiches was covered with a towel and placed in the refrigerator. Maybe they would eat them later.

Terry left Craig in his office and went to her room. She changed into her nightgown and slipped under the covers. It was a long time before she fell asleep and that didn’t last long. She was worried. Something bad had happened on that mission. It obviously revolved around Actor. Craig normally tried to cut his second some slack because of the good job the con man did. For him to even contemplate putting Actor in the stockade meant whatever the man had done it had been worse than usual.

Tired and restless, she finally made herself get up around nine o’clock. The house was quiet except for an occasional snore. Terry got dressed and paused, undecided, outside her door. She had been told to stay away from Actor. She was worried about him. She had not thought it was a good idea for him to go on that mission, but couldn’t object without Craig having a fit, and Actor too for that matter. Terry walked down the hall to the con man’s room. Silently she turned the knob and peered around the door. Actor was curled up in his bed, asleep. Having just spent a couple weeks with the man sleeping most of the time, she knew he didn’t usually sleep curled in a ball. It was worrisome. Terry shut the door just as silently and stepped next door to Craig’s room.  
Peeking inside, she saw the bed had not been slept in. Now she went downstairs to his office. Garrison had never left the office. He was asleep on the couch. The whiskey bottle and glass remained on the desk, the lamp still on. Terry judged there might be two or three shots missing from the bottle. Walking on the balls of her feet to keep her boot heels from clicking on the wooden floor, Terry went to the desk, corked the whiskey bottle, turned off the lamp and took the glass away to be washed.

Needing to find something to do to occupy her time and hopefully her mind, Terry went into the kitchen. She threw more wood on the fire in the stove and set the coffee pot on to heat. There were a few dishes left over from her supper the previous night, so she filled a sink with soapy water and slowly washed them up. Her mind was distracted by the events of the last couple weeks. Her brain was filled with Actor’s concussion, his odd behavior and now the mystery of what had gone wrong on this mission. She stopped and gazed out the window. The day was gray and dreary. A quiet, heavy snow was falling. Maybe it would keep them from going out again for a couple days and they could get whatever was wrong sorted through.

Heavy steps drew her attention. Casino walked into the kitchen, unsmiling. Terry rinsed her hands and dried them on a towel. She retrieved a mug and went to fill it with coffee. As she turned back, two stacks of French currency plopped on the table in front of her. She frowned at it. Judging by the denomination, it was a goodly sum of money.

“What’s that?” she asked, handing the cup to the safecracker.

“Your share of the take,” said Casino, taking a sip.

“My share?” asked Terry in confusion. “I wasn’t even there. How do you get off with me getting a share?”

“It’s Actor’s, but he didn’t do a damned thing except get Chief shot, so we figured he didn’t deserve any. You haven’t been goin’ out with us much lately, so we figured you could use it.”

Terry shoved it toward him. “Thanks for the thought, but if I don’t do anything, then I’m not taking the money. Give it back to Actor or divide it amongst yourselves.”

Casino looked at her, shrugged and took the money back. “Suit yourself.”

Terry eyed him worriedly. “What happened out there?”  
“Warden, didn’t tell you?”

“No.”  
“Actor quit on us. He wouldn’t go in. Chief had to try to be an officer. Guess it didn’t work.”

“Why wouldn’t Actor go in? Was he sick?”

Casino shook his head. “Don’t know. Whatever it was pissed the Warden off good. Only him and maybe Chief know what was goin’ on in that damn Italian’s head. They were the only two in with him. You’ll have to get it outta the Warden.”

Terry let it go for now. “You want breakfast or lunch?”

“Don’t matter,” replied Casino. He stuck the money back in his shirt. “Whatcha got?”

“Sandwiches, or I can cook up some eggs.”

Casino sat down at the table and waited for Terry to get the plate of sandwiches. As she pulled out the plate and a jar of pickles, Goniff bounced in.

“Morning, Love,” said the Cockney.

“Morning, Mate,” she replied. “Want sandwiches or breakfast?”

“Those look good,” said the Englishman, snatching a sandwich out from under Casino’s hand. 

The safecracker made a backhanded gesture toward the grinning pickpocket. At least it was getting a little bit back to normal, thought Terry. Chief was the next to arrive. Terry repeated her menu options and he took a sandwich. She put cups of coffee in front of the two latest arrivals and topped Casino’s cup.

“How’s the arm?” asked Terry.

Chief looked at it and shrugged. “It’s good. Wasn’t much anyway.”

“Coulda been worse,” remarked Casino grumpily.

Just then Garrison entered. His clothes were a little rumpled and he moved carefully. His hand reached out and picked up a sandwich on his way to his seat. Craig took a bite and watched Terry pour a cup of coffee and reach into a cupboard for a bottle of aspirin she had stashed there. Both were set in front of him. He eyed her maybe a bit defensively.

“I am not hungover,” he protested.

“No,” replied his sister casually. “You didn’t drink enough to get hungover. But your back is out.”

“I hate it when you can tell before I even say anything,” he groused, taking two aspirin and washing them down with coffee.

“I’m your sister. What do you expect?”

“A little respect?” he suggested.

He got a snort of laughter in reply.

Goniff was chewing on a mouthful of sandwich. “So, Warden, wot’s so bloody important about those papers?”

“They are lists of double agents,” the lieutenant replied. “Some pretty heavy intel has been leaking over to the other side. This hopefully will stop that.”

Casino reached for the pickle jar, only to have it snatched away by Goniff, who proceeded to take three spears out of it. “Do you have to eat it all, you dumb Limey?”

“Oh, Casino, for heaven’s sake. I have another jar,” said Terry in mock irritability.

“Yeah, well that don’t mean he gets to eat the whole thing,” the safecracker flung back at her.

“I don’t know how you don’t get an ulcer from being so negative all the time,” complained Terry.

“Can’t get an ulcer,” said Chief. “Just gives ‘em away to the rest of us by complainin’ so much.”

“Yeah? You wanna do something about it, Geronimo?” shot back Casino hotly.

Terry walked past him and walloped him along side of the head. “Knock it off. It’s too early in the morning.”

Casino looked at her in startled surprise. She ignored him and kept her head turned away to keep him from seeing the little grin on her face. Casino looked at Garrison for help.

“You heard her, Casino. Knock it off,” said Craig absently.

Terry took the opportunity, while the men were all occupied, to go upstairs. She eased around the door into Actor’s bedroom and watched him for a few moments. He was still curled on his side. She moved closer and watched his breathing. A knowing smile came to her face. She walked up close to his head and squatted down so she was eye level with him.

“Never try to play possum with a nurse,” she said conversationally. “I can tell when you’re faking it.”

One hazel eye opened and looked at her.

“Are you dizzy?” Terry asked, trying to find out what was wrong with the man.

There was a small shake of the head.

“Headache?”

A tiny shrug of the shoulder.

“You want something to eat?”

Another shake of the head.

“Coffee?”

Same shake of the head. Nothing verbal. Terry watched the one eye. It just looked back at her. She sighed.

“If you get hungry let me know and I’ll get you something. Okay?”

After a moment’s hesitation, there was a single nod of the head. This was worse than pulling hen’s teeth. Terry sure wished she knew what had happened in France. She got up and started to turn away. Stopping, she turned back. The eye was closed. She bent down and placed a kiss on the purplish pink scar on Actor’s temple. With that, she walked out of the room. In doing so, she missed the head lifting to watch her departure.

She had kissed him. It was an affectionate kiss . . . obviously she did not know the events of the past twenty-four hours. He wondered how affectionate she would feel when she did find out. First there had been the anger and betrayal shown by Chief. Soon, he would have to deal with it again from Teresa. That would be even more painful. He felt as though he were backed into a corner with no way out. He curled tighter into the ball he was already in.

Terry went back downstairs. Heavens, this was not Actor. Where was the strong, straight, arrogant man? Had the concussion left that much damage? For the umpteenth time she wondered what had happened in France. She wasn’t going to have to wait much longer to find out.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Garrison came around the corner from the kitchen, followed by the other three men.

“Debrief,” said Craig shortly. “You sit in on this.”

“Okay,” said Terry. “I’ll go get Actor.”

“No,” said Craig firmly. “He doesn’t need to be here.”

That gave Terry pause. She quietly followed the men into Garrison’s office and closed the door. They all took seats around the conference table. Terry took the Italian’s usual chair.

“Okay,” Casino started right in. “What the hell are we gonna do about Actor?”

“Casino,” said Craig firmly. “You are not leading this. We will follow the order we always do. Transport in?”

“Too bleedin’ cold!” complained Goniff. “Thought me teeth would never stop chattering.”

Casino grinned, “Yeah, just like the rest of you.”

“I don’t know that we can change that,” said Garrison. “I didn’t see any problem with the resistance, going in or coming out. Anybody else?”

There were noes and shakes of heads.

“Safe house?”

“Easy defense and it had something more’n bread and cheese,” offered Chief.

“Bread was stale,” complained Casino.

Terry bit back a laugh, “Want me to pack a loaf to take with you next time?”

“Funny, Babe,” Casino gave her a dirty look.

Garrison gave his sister a knock it off look. She smiled benignly back at him. “Transport?” he asked moving on.

“Had enough gas in it this time,” replied Chief.

Casino fixed Garrison with a sour look. “You musta taken driving lessons from Terry.”

Terry couldn’t resist. “No, he taught me.”

“Could tell on this one,” wisecracked the safecracker.

“Any problems with the safe?” Craig ignored the comments on his driving.

“Naw,” replied Casino.

“Did we give you enough time?”

“Sure, Warden,” grinned Goniff cheekily. “Plenty of time, even with Casino taking so long to open the ruddy thing.”

Casino’s head snapped around. “Hey, you wanna open it next time?”

“No, Mate,” answered Goniff airily. “I was just pointing out ‘ow you were takin’ your sweet time this time.”

“I oughta . . .” Casino started.

Craig interrupted his growing tirade. “Enough.”

Casino turned to him. “So, when are we gonna talk about Actor? Or are we, Warden?”

Garrison had been dreading this part. He had calmed down since they had returned to the Mansion. Now he was back to being concerned about his second-in-command. “Chief?” He tried to circumvent Casino for the time being.

“I was mad at him at first,” admitted the Indian. “Thought he was just being a jerk and leavin’ us hangin’.”

“He was and he did!” interjected the safecracker adamantly.

“Don’t think so,” objected Chief slowly.

“What do you think?” Garrison asked, curious for another perspective on the problem.

Chief shook his head and frowned. “Somethin’s wrong with him.”

“Oh, there’s somethin’ wrong with him all right,” Casino interrupted. “He just plain quit on us.”

“Go on, Chief,” encouraged Craig. 

“Don’t know, Warden. He’s too quiet and he ain’t his normal self. Don’t look right and don’t act right. Somethin’s wrong with his head.”

“Yeah, well maybe a good swift kick to the other side of his head will straighten him out,” Casino said with disgust.

“That’s enough, Casino. Just knock it off.” Craig had enough of the grousing.

Goniff, usually quick to get over a fit of temper, was true to form. “Warden, Actor ain’t been right since ‘e got shot in the ‘ead. ‘E’s too quiet. ‘E don’t even look right.”

“All right, Guys,” Terry spoke up, “I still don’t understand. Just what exactly did Actor do that had you all so angry?”

“It’s what he wouldn’t do,” said Garrison. “He refused to put on the SS uniform or go in with us. That’s why I had to change plans quickly and try to pass Chief off as an officer.”

“That didn’t work too well,” said the safecracker sarcastically.

“No, it didn’t. It wasn’t good judgment on my part, but I didn’t have any alternative given the timeframe.” The knowledge that he had made a bad call resulting in injury to one of his men upset Craig more than Actor’s refusal to participate.

“Okay, what did he do afterwards? How did he act when he found out Chief got hit?” asked Terry trying to get the whole picture.

Chief shook his head. “He tried to help me, but I was so mad, I wouldn’t let him.”

“So, it did bother him you got shot because of his actions?”

“Hard to say with Actor,” shrugged the Indian. “He just closes himself off and you don’t know what he’s thinkin’.”

“Did he say anything?” pursued Terry.

Craig was watching her, wondering if she had any good idea what was going on with the con man. “He said he didn’t want to do this anymore. Said he couldn’t.”

Casino sent a frustrated look at Terry. “I suppose you’re going to defend him.”

“Well somebody has to,” she replied sharply. “I don’t see him being invited down here to defend himself.” She pinned the belligerent man with a hard look. “Tell me Casino, when you were a little boy did you want to grow up to spend a lot of time in prison?”

“We ain’t talkin’ about me,” grumbled the safecracker defensively.

“Yes, we are,” said Terry.

Craig sat back to watch this with interest.

She continued. “You mean you don’t ever wish you could do it over again and do it right. Legitimate?”

Her gaze moved over the three cons. Chief and Goniff gave reluctant nods. Casino took a little longer, but he nodded too. She saw she had them thinking, her brother included. “Okay, Casino, go back to being that little boy. You want to do big things in your life when you grow up. You want your family to be proud of you. Right?” Again, a reluctant nod. “All right. What if suddenly someone comes up to you and tells you you’re going to rob banks and go to jail and maybe your family won’t be so proud of you. How would you feel?”

“He ain’t no little boy.” Casino tossed back at her. 

She could still see the cogs turning in the safecracker’s mind. “No, that’s for sure. But is it so hard to imagine?”

“’E tell you that?” asked Goniff, remembering he had been the one to tell Actor what his past was.

Terry made a face and shook his head. “Not in so many words. You know he doesn’t talk much about himself or any family before he became a con man.”

Casino wasn’t buying it completely yet. “So maybe that’s what’s goin’ through his head. Still don’t give him the right to cut out on us like that.”

“True,” agreed Terry. “But I’ll put a twenty on the table right now betting he’s covering up that the concussion has still got his brain messed up.”

Garrison looked hard at his sister. “From a medical standpoint you think that’s what’s going on?”

Terry nodded. “It’s possible. I know I was a surgical nurse, but I did some of everything else too.”

“So, what do you want us to do?” asked Chief.

Terry gave a hands up gesture. “Cut him some slack? Give him support? Didn’t you guys just come back from Greece saying how much you missed him there to help?”

“Yeah well we missed him there to help on this one too and he was there.” Casino wasn’t quite ready to let it go. What makes you think he’s gonna get his head screwed back on straight?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Terry. “But I think he needs more time to recover than what the army’s giving him.”

“Hopefully this weather will give him the time he needs,” said Craig.

“You’re gonna keep him?” demanded Casino.

“That is between him and me,” said Garrison firmly. “Anybody else have anything to say?”

“So ‘ow do we ‘give him support’?” asked Goniff, addressing Terry.

Terry made a face, “I don’t know that either. For one, don’t attack him.” This remark was aimed directly at Casino, who made a face of acquiescence back at her. “Little things,” she suggested. “I mean, when you guys are injured, doesn’t he sometimes do things for you like bring you a cup of coffee or get something so you don’t have to get up?”

“Yeah,” agreed Chief.

“’E don’t make a ‘alf bad cuppa either,” added Goniff.

There was a pause in the conversation.

“That all?” asked Garrison. Nothing more was said. “All right, get out of here. Terry, you stay.”

Somehow that little order did not surprise her. The two stayed where they were until the others had filed out of the room and closed the door. Garrison started pacing, running a hand through his blond hair in frustration. Terry sat back and watched him, waiting for him to start in his own sweet time. Craig paused and looked at his sister, the only person he could be open and honest with right now.

“What the hell do I do?” he asked.

“What the hell do you want to do?” she countered.

He shook his head and gestured with one hand. “I don’t know. By the book I should throw him in the stockade and send him back to stir for dereliction of duty.”

“He’s not regular army, Craig,” said Terry wryly. “What do you want to do?”

“I want to get my second back,” admitted Garrison. “He’s damn good at what he does. Up until now, I could count on him for backup. He was accepting more responsibility. It was taking some of the burden off of me.” He hesitated and his voice quieted as he confessed, “I can talk to him.”

“There is that about him,” agreed Terry. “So, what do you want me to do?”

“You two are close,” broached her brother.

Terry looked up sharply at that. She suddenly realized she did have a closer relationship with Actor than she did with the others. “It’s because of what we do. We have to be close to pull off those kinds of cons.” She tried to brush it off.

“See if he’ll talk to you. See if you can straighten his head out.”

Terry slowly nodded. She pushed the chair back and got up, heading for the door. She wondered just what she could say to the con man to get him to open up. Her mind was preoccupied as she mounted the stairs, not seeing the three pair of eyes watching her.


	3. Chapter 3

Actor heard the footsteps coming down the hall and identified them as Terry’s. He remained sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on knees, head in hands. He listened to the door open and not quite shut as she stepped into his room. Now it would start. He so dreaded losing the young woman’s respect and friendship. When had that become so important to him? He could not pinpoint any particular moment or event. It must have been a gradual change in him. She teased him yet treated him with gentle affection and still looked to him for knowledge and guidance. It was something missing from his life. He was suddenly afraid it would be missing from his life again. Actor sensed her hesitation but did not look up at her. It was years of training and instinct that prevented him from stiffening as he felt her hand softly touch him and slowly rub back and forth across his shoulders.

“What happened, caro?” she asked softly, sitting down beside him and continuing to rub his back.

“I am sure you have already been told,” said Actor with bitter disgust.

“I’ve heard several versions,” she admitted. “I want to hear yours.”

Actor turned his head to look at her leg, not her face, but did not try to evade her touch, wishing to savor it for as long as possible. “Did the Lieutenant send you to try to fix me?”

“He suggested it,” said Terry truthfully. “Craig’s in a quandary. He doesn’t know what to do to help you. And you do know me well enough to know that I would come to you on my own.” There was a pause. “I know you find it hard to talk to anyone about what you are really feeling but try . . . for both of us . . . you and me.”

Actor hesitated. He wanted to talk to someone, but he did not know whom he could trust, except Teresa. The other men, including the Lieutenant, were angry with him - - - beyond angry. And they had every right to be. He could not understand Teresa’s lack of revulsion. He had left her brother in a bad predicament. She should resent him for that, maybe even hate him, yet she was touching and talking to him as though they were still friends.

“I cannot do it anymore, Teresa,” he started. His words started slowly and then came faster. “I do not wish to be the person I am. I do not wish to hurt people anymore. I don’t want to trick people, or steal from them, or do things that ruin their lives. And that is all I have done most of my life. I do not wish to play the game anymore!”

There was silence, but the hand still rubbed between his shoulders.

“You don’t want to play the game? Do you want to go back to the Rock? Because if you don’t play the game, Craig has no choice but to send you back. And if you do go back, you will have to play the game there, or they will kill you . . . or worse. Caro, Craig does not want to send you back. We will do everything we can to help you, but you have to tell us how.”

“I do not know how, cara,” he said. “I do not want to continue to do the same things that resulted in my incarceration.” Actor truly did not know what to do. His reasoning still did not seem to function correctly. Thinking things out to a logical conclusion, always a simple matter for him, seemed so difficult. His thoughts turned in a vicious cycle. Quit the confidence game and lose his friends, his freedom, maybe even his life. Run away and he would have to con in order to get anywhere and then to start a new life. That life would be a permanent con. And do what? He had no skills other than to continue the con. If he stayed, he would have to go back to doing the con. There was no way out. He had no control.

Terry curled one hand lightly around his upper arm. The hand on his shoulders now moved to rub a random pattern over his entire back. “Actor, listen to me. When this war is over, saying we somehow do survive it, you do not have to go back to your old ways. You have so much knowledge, and such a keen mind, you could do almost anything legally and legitimately.” 

“Such as?” he asked bitterly, not believing her.

“With your knowledge of art, paintings, antiques, jewels . . . museums would kill to have you work for them. Can you imagine what a mess there’s going to be after the war, what with Goering hoarding everything he can get his hands on, trying to sort things and get them back to where they belong? Your love of books. You could open your own bookstore. Or your own antique store for that matter. Actor, you could be surrounded by the things you love without having to steal them.”

“Teresa, who would want me with my background?” he scoffed.

“Who better to mind the chicken coop, than the fox?” she replied with a grin.

He listened to the enthusiasm in her voice and felt a faint stirring of hope, which stilled as he realized he needed to somehow get to the end of the war first and by doing what? 

“And how do I reach the end of the war? What will I do?” He was back to the same dilemma.

“By doing what you’ve been doing and what you do best, Actor.”

“Which is precisely what I wish not to do!” He felt the frustration growing again.

There was a longer pause now. Still the hand did not stop its comforting ministrations. It amazed him this young decent woman had not yet abandoned him.

“I don’t know what your background is,” Terry started again. “I am ninety-nine per cent sure you were brought up Roman Catholic at some point.” He nodded in agreement on that. “You have done wrong. You were sent to prison to pay for your wrongdoings. Then Craig came along with the offer of this job, shall we say, doing what you were doing before, but this time for a just cause. God gave you those special skills you used wrongly. There are very few that can do what you do and even fewer who can do it as well as you do. You ever think this might be your penance, to use those skills to help people instead of hurt them?”

“Help?” he lifted his head up and looked at her in disbelief.

Terry let some of her emotion through. “Actor, what the hell do you think you’ve been doing if not helping? Your skills have saved our necks time and time again. When you pull your cons, you are not only helping the five of us, you are helping Craig get information and destroy things that result in hundreds of people staying alive who would otherwise die. You guys have only been working together for less than a year. I think even in that short time; you have directly, or indirectly, saved more lives than you ever hurt in the past.” 

Now there was a thought. Why did it not occur to him before? His mind must not be functioning correctly. It was so simple. The irony of it caused him to smile inwardly. Ahhh, to use the skills that caused the wrongs to pay for the wrongs. The thought appealed to him . . . greatly. He almost smiled, but a frown crossed his face instead. Would he even be able to get another chance?

Terry leaned forward and peered into his face. He wondered if she could read his mind now. “Actor it is not at all like you to leave anybody in the lurch. No matter how distasteful you find something, you do it for the good of the group. This just isn’t you. Is the concussion still bothering you? I can’t imagine the altitude or the jump helped matters any.”

Actor did not want to admit that weakness. 

“Actor, it’s me. You can tell me.”

He sighed. “They bothered me. But that is still no excuse for what I did – didn’t - do.”

“So why can’t you forgive yourself? If it was one of the others, would you continue to hold it against them? Or do you really not want to be part of the team anymore?” asked Terry softly.

Actor thought about it. He had been alone so much of his life and now he had people around him, people who might give him endless grief, but in a pinch still seemed to care about him. Surprisingly he found himself almost looking on the lieutenant, not only as his commander, but with the affection reserved for a younger brother. He was not ready to contemplate too deeply his jumbled feelings for the woman beside him. Leave them?

“No. Teresa,” he started. “I would like to try again. But, how can I? I am sure the others hate me. I let them down. I let the Warden down. Why would he give me another chance?”

“Because you are a part of this team and we all need you,” said a low male voice from the door.

GGGGG

After the Warden had gone up the stairs, Chief joined the other two men at the game table.

“Been thinkin’,” he said.

Casino opened his mouth to make a smart remark, but the seriousness of the expression on the Indian’s face gave him pause. Goniff took the opportunity to jump in and stop another fight before it could start.

“About wot, Mate?” the Cockney asked.

“What if we lose Actor?” Chief looked at the other two. “I mean what if he leaves or gets sent back to stir? What happens then?”

Casino shrugged. “I guess we get a new con man.”

“Actor ain’t really been that bad, has he?” Chief persisted. “He can be a pain sometimes, but, until now, he’s always been there for us. Got us outta trouble more’n once. What about who they replace him with?”

Goniff frowned. “You mean like, wot if they give us another Wheeler?”

Chief nodded.

Casino gave a low whistle. “Now there’s a thought.” He cast a glance at the Indian. “You can’t kill ‘em all off.”

He was rewarded with a warning look that told him not to go there.

“Wot do we do, then?” asked Goniff.

Chief shrugged. “What Terry says, I guess. Let him know we want him to stay.”

Casino shrugged his eyebrows. “Yuh mean let him know we got his back?” His eyes narrowed. “Yeah, and what if he does it again?”

“Can’t make the man stay if he don’t want to,” said Chief philosophically.

Goniff grinned. “Don’t ‘urt to try now, does it, Mates?”

“Naw,” said Casino. “It could just get us killed.”

“Jumpin’ outta an airplane can do that,” pointed out Chief.

“Got that right,” admitted Casino.

GGGGG

Craig stood inside the door and surveyed the two sitting on the edge of the bed. Two faces looked back at him, one non-committal and the other almost hopeful, and they were on the opposite ones he expected. Terry’s hands dropped away from Actor. She made a face of apology at her brother. Garrison stepped forward and brushed a hand of reassurance down her shoulder as he came to stand in front of the Italian. He knew if it had been him sitting in Actor’s place, she would have been doing the same thing.

Actor’s back and shoulders straightened. He looked Craig directly into the eyes for the first time since the incident in the safe house. “Will you give me another chance?” he asked. Humbleness was usually difficult for the con man. “Can you give me another chance?”

“Is that what you want?” asked Craig. “Or is that what Terry is talking you into?”

“It is what I want,” acknowledged the con man.

Craig crossed his arms and sat down on the edge of the bed on the other side of Actor. “The others don’t know what I put in my reports to the Brass. As far as I’m concerned, you had a relapse and between the dizziness and lightheadedness it wasn’t safe for you to go in. It ended pretty much all right.” He sucked in a cheek. “But so help me Actor if you ever leave us in the lurch like that again I will kick your sorry ass back to Alcatraz.” The words were not said with the heat or sternness they should have had.

Actor sucked in his cheek now. “Believe me Lieutenant I will see that does not happen.” He pointed a long forefinger at Teresa. “This is one very dangerous weapon you directed to me.”

Craig grinned. “I know. That’s why I keep her around.”

He leaned forward, as Terry did, to exchange a look with his sister. Realization hit them at the same time. Garrison watched Terry’s eyes move back and forth across the three of them. Craig shrugged an eyebrow in acknowledgement. Subconsciously, the two had taken up the defense mechanism of the Garrison siblings. When one was in trouble the others moved in on either side in support. He doubted Actor had given it any thought. The empty chair was sitting right in front of the con man. Craig could have just as easily taken a seat there.

“Gee, I thought you kept me around for my cooking,” Terry said.

“Speaking of cooking,” said Craig, “are you going to start soon? It’s getting late you know. We’re hungry.”

Terry rose to her feet. “I know, now you two boys want to talk.”

“Boys?” asked Craig, teasing her.

Actor shook his head. “She is young, Warden, she does not understand men yet.”

Terry turned back as if to fire off a sarcastic reply but smiled and shook her head instead. She let herself out the door and left the two to their talk.

The two men sat quietly for a moment. For the first time, Craig thanked God his sister was forming a friendship with his second. Maybe he wouldn’t lose the man.

“So, what did Terry say that helped change your mind?” he asked.

“Oh, she had a very interesting argument,” replied Actor. “Working with this group is my penance.”

Craig wasn’t sure he had heard right. “Penance?”

Actor nodded.

“She’s been hanging around you too much,” complained Garrison. “Now she’s getting philosophical.” He paused. “Or insulting.”

Actor turned his head and met Garrison’s gaze. “Insulting? To which one of us?”

“Working with us is a penance,” said Garrison. “We’re that bad?”

The corner of Actor’s mouth twitched. “I do not believe that was quite how she meant it, Lieutenant.”

“You don’t ever know with Terry.” Craig sobered. “You really think you could give it up, Actor?” 

“I don’t know,” replied the con man truthfully.

Craig gave a soft snort of laughter, “When we pull a good one off against the Krauts, it’s such a rush.”

“It makes you feel alive,” added Actor. He looked at the young officer. “May I ask you something, Warden?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you learn it? Why do you do it? You obviously come from a good family. You have no need to con people.”

“Every family’s got skeletons,” replied Craig. “I’ve met ours . . . and learned from them. Not that any of them had the talent you have. I’m still learning from you.” He wondered if he could get a straight answer from the Italian. “How did you start?”

“I was the skeleton,” replied Actor. 

“So, it was a matter of necessity?” asked Craig curiously.

Actor was silent and Garrison thought he would not answer. “Yes.” Garrison watched the man chewing on a cheek before speaking. “I was not trained for anything else. I suddenly found myself with nothing but my looks. Spending the rest of my life hauling rocks or working in a factory was not for me. Neither was being kept by a woman.”

Craig looked at the older man with a grin. “You were a gigolo?”

“I was not!” came the indignant reply. “You have lived in Italy. You should know something about the social system. I had several benefactresses.”

Garrison felt a good bit of hope now. The man was talking. And he was reacting with just a touch of his normal arrogance. He tried to feel the con man out more.

“Did you partner with someone or teach yourself?”

Actor thought about it. “I learned from whom and where I could. Mostly it comes from studying people. You learn their strengths and their weakness and shape yourself to be what they want you to be. Then you may take advantage of their weaknesses while avoiding their strengths.”

“You still do that.” Craig found it fascinating to watch the man studying his mark and deciding how to shape his own persona to initiate and fulfill the con.

“Yes,” replied Actor. “One must to continually perfect one’s craft.”

There was still a hint of pride there. Possibly Terry was right, and it was the concussion that was not allowing the confidence man to regain his mental equilibrium. Craig hoped Actor would become his old self soon. He would hate to lose the older man, professionally and personally.

“You going to be all right?” Garrison asked, not expecting an answer.

“I believe so, Warden,” Actor replied seriously.

“Good, because I need you working with me and I need to be able to depend on you, and to be able to talk with you,” admitted Craig. “And if you ever tell anyone I said that I will call you a liar.”

Actor grinned crookedly. “Tell anyone what, Warden?” He looked at the young officer again. “I regret leaving you in a bad situation.”

“Like I said, don’t do it again. I have to go write that report. Come on downstairs before my sister drags you down.”

“I will be down in a minute,” said Actor.

Craig got up and squeezed the man’s shoulder on his way past. 

GGGGG

Terry was seasoning the pork chops she had arrayed on a baking sheet atop the kitchen table. She wasn’t happy, but they would have to do. The roast she had been able to purchase on the black market was a smaller one than she usually was able to get. She had to cut the chops thinner. At least she still had meat. She did not look up as her brother entered the kitchen.

“You’re a fake, Craig Garrison,” she said conversationally. “You aren’t ever going to be able to tell me you don’t care about them.

Craig wheezed a cynical laugh. “You care about them too.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “But I don’t try to hide it. I’m open with it and they know it.” She straightened and moved to wash her hands in the sink. “I think we’ve adopted them. We just automatically circled the wagons around Actor. You think he realizes it?”

Garrison shrugged. “He’s smart. He’ll think about it and probably figure it out.” He took a seat, leaning on crossed arms on the table. “It’s not good army protocol. I’m not supposed to get close to them.”

Terry turned in exasperation. “Craig, they aren’t regular army. This group isn’t regular army. I’ll open that window right now and you can take West Point and toss it out into a snowbank.”

Garrison looked at her with a wry expression. “I have to be in charge. I can’t be their friend.”

“You’re doing okay with Actor,” said Terry. “You two almost share command. He shows you respect. I think you two are good for each other. He needs family. You need someone to talk to. I don’t think he’ll take advantage of you.”

“He would have at one time,” admitted Craig. “Not so much now.”

The subject of their conversation made his way down the stairs and into the common room. No one spoke to him, but the air of hostility was gone. Actor settled into his chair and took stock. His three books were on the side table along with the ashtray. One of his pipes was there, but not the pouch of tobacco. He had forgotten to bring the tobacco down, but he would have a cigarette instead and read a book. A hand reached up to turn on the reading light and his feet crossed on the ottoman. Actor reached to the pocket of his smoking jacket. It was empty, as was the other pocket. He was doing well. He had forgotten the tobacco and the cigarettes. With a frustrated sigh, he started to swing his legs off the ottoman when an open pack of cigarettes flew through the air to land in his lap. He picked them up in surprise. They were Casino’s Lucky Strikes. 

“Need a light?” asked the safecracker, not looking up from his solitaire game.

“No, I have my lighter,” said Actor. “Thank you.”

Casino did not acknowledge that. “You better take two.”

Actor took two out of the pack, laid one on the table and stuck the other one between his lips. He tossed the pack back onto the game table. “I will pay you back,” he promised.

“As long as they aren’t them lousy French things you smoke,” replied Casino.

“Those are very good cigarettes,” said Actor.

“Yeah, well, you can keep ‘em.”

Actor settled in his chair and lit the cigarette. He took in a long breath, held it and slowly blew the smoke away. That was better. He reached for his book and started to read. A half hour later, he allowed the book to drop open in his lap, when he realized he had read the same page three times and still did not remember what he had read. He felt drained and a little dizzy.

“You okay there, Mate?” asked Goniff. Apparently, the Englishman had been watching him.

“Fine,” said Actor quickly as usual. He stopped and looked at Goniff who was giving him a ‘sure you are’ look back. “A little lightheaded,” the con man admitted quietly.

“Well of course you are,” bubbled the blond man. “You ain’t eaten nothin’ since before we went on the mission. You don’t have no sugar goin’ to your ‘ead.”

Actor looked at the pickpocket with raised eyebrows at that pronouncement. There was something to what the man said, but his delivery was a bit strange. He watched the Englishman get up from his card game.

“Got just the thing to fix you up,” declared the pickpocket. He headed for the kitchen.

Actor’s eyes followed him. They were being awfully solicitous. The con man wished they would just ignore him. He did not feel comfortable with the attention. He swiveled his eyes around to look at the Indian in his usual window seat. Chief was watching him with a tiny amused smile as if he knew what Actor was thinking. The Italian turned his attention back to his book.

Goniff bounced into the kitchen and just pushed his way past the Lieutenant to get the kettle from the stove. The two Garrisons watched as he went to the sink and filled the kettle with water, returning to put it on the stove.

“Actor’s fadin’ a bit,” he announced cheerfully.

“What?” asked Terry with concern.

“Oh, it’s nothin’ a nice cuppa and maybe some biscuits,” he looked at Terry hopefully, “won’t take care of.”

Terry tried to contain a smile as she reached to the top of a near cabinet for the tin of ginger biscuits. She and Craig both stifled grins as Goniff bustled around the kitchen, getting the teapot, a plate, a teacup and Terry’s precious supply of sugar. She stood aside and observed the precise process Goniff followed, warming the pot with hot water, drying it, placing the tea leaves in the bottom, then pouring the boiling water in to leave it steep. Tea was not one of Terry’s favorite drinks, unless it was iced, but sometimes it was better than what she had to use in place of coffee. 

With the tea steeped to his satisfaction, Goniff poured it carefully into the cup and added a bit of sugar and some milk from the refrigerator. “’E needs sumpin’ in there to tide ‘im over ‘til dinner,” explained the Cockney. The cup was placed on the center of the plate and two ginger biscuits were laid beside it. Goniff cast a wheedling look at Terry. At her nod, he popped another biscuit from the tin into his mouth. Carefully balancing the cup and plate, he headed back to the common room.

The siblings watched him leave.

“You think you may have overdone it on the lecture, Sister?” asked Craig in amusement.

Terry shook her head. “When Actor gets better, he may kill Goniff. I have enough trouble taking care of him.”

Craig went back to his office and Terry continued to prepare for the evening meal. She had potatoes and string beans on to boil and was just about to start cooking the pork chops when Actor entered the kitchen. She noted the plate and cup he rinsed in the sink were empty.

“Feel a little better?” she asked.

“A bit,” he admitted, coming over to see what she was making. A glance at the dishes on the sink showed his discomfort at the attention.

Terry smiled, “You just don’t know how to react when someone does something nice for you, do you?”

In response, the tall man reached a hand out to tip Terry’s head around and back and placed a kiss on her lips. She looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye.

“I wouldn’t be doing that to Goniff if I were you,” she couldn’t resist teasing.

She was rewarded with a pursed lip look of exasperation to which she chuckled.

“You are impossible, Teresa,” muttered the con man, amused, not angry.

Her grin widened. “Go on, if you want supper tonight get outta my kitchen.”

Dinner was a fairly normal affair with talking, teasing, arguing, etc. If Actor was still a little quiet, nobody commented on it. At least he spoke. Terry washed the dishes afterwards. When Chief brought some glasses in from the other room, she looked at his arm.

“You want me to look at that when I’m done?” she asked.

“Naw, you’re busy. Maybe get Actor to do it.”

Terry looked at him and smiled. She saw the ploy. “He might appreciate your asking.”

Chief walked casually up to the Italian. Actor looked up from his book.

“Terry’s busy,” said Chief. “You mind takin’ a look at this?” He shrugged the injured arm. “I think it’s okay. She worries you know.”

“Yes, she does,” agreed Actor. “Of course, I will look at your arm.”

He glanced at the table. Casino and Goniff took up part of it with their cards. Terry’s sewing kit was on the opposite side. The door to the lieutenant’s office was open. Actor indicated with his head to go in there. Craig was stretched out on his couch, reading a book. He looked up at the entrance of the two men.

“Excuse me, Warden,” said Actor with his characteristic politeness. “May we use your table a moment?”

“Sure,” replied Garrison, not getting up. While Actor was getting the aid kit from the office bathroom, Craig asked Chief, “How’s the arm?”

“S’ok,” the young man replied. “Wasn’t much.”

Actor and Chief sat at the table and Actor removed the dressing. The wound edges were clean. The Italian put more sulfa on it and redressed it. “It appears to be starting to heal. There is no sign of infection. There shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Thanks,” said Chief, shrugging into his shirt sleeve.

Actor replaced the aid kit and paused beside Garrison. “Thank you for the use of your table, Lieutenant.”

Craig nodded, continuing to read his book. The two men left, not seeing the smile on the officer’s face.

A while later, Terry sat at the gaming table mending the many rips, tears and missing buttons on the men’s clothing. Casino and Goniff were also at the table, playing poker. Chief was at the chess table, playing by himself. Actor was in his chair, smoking his pipe and reading a book. The wireless was tuned into the BBC. Outside, the stalled front was still dropping heavy wet snow. There was no fear of air raids or sudden calls for missions. All was right with the world. Almost.

Terry kept a surreptitious eye on the con man. He was trying to read his book but kept blinking his eyes. Finally, he lowered the book to his lap and squeezed his eyes shut. Terry got up and cupped his chin, tilting his head back. He looked at her, startled. She looked at the not quite sharp eyes and the wrinkled forehead and shook her head. Dropping his chin, she silently turned and strode toward the kitchen. The encounter had garnered the attention of the other cons and they watched for her return.

Terry strode back up to the con man and held a glass of water out to him. He automatically accepted it. She then removed the lid from a pill bottle and grabbed his other hand, flipping it up to dump two pills in his palm.

“Take them,” she instructed firmly. He popped them into his mouth and washed them down, eyes watching her narrowly. “You of all people, Actor, should know enough to take some aspirin for cryin’ out loud.”

“You are not my mother, Teresa,” retorted the Italian indignantly.

“You’re lucky or I’d’a walloped some sense into you a long time ago,” she shot back at him.

“I would like to see you try that!” Actor replied sharply, the familiar flash of temper in his eyes.

“I wouldn’t push her if I was you,” said Casino, enjoying this. “She’s got a hellova right hook.”

“As you well know,” teased Terry, ruffling the hair atop Casino’s head.

This brought laughter from everyone except Actor who was staring at her. She grinned and winked at him.

“Marmocchia,” the Italian muttered.

“I learned it from you,” Terry flung over her shoulder as she walked away. She smiled widely at the laughter that followed, especially when she heard a deep chuckle from Actor.


	4. Chapter 4

The bad weather held out for most of a week, snow being replaced by almost gale force winds. It prevented the group from going on missions, but also kept them confined to the Mansion. There was only so much solitaire and poker that could be played, so eventually boredom turned to frayed tempers. Garrison and Terry were frequently breaking up fights between Casino and Chief. When they weren’t fighting, they were coming up with other ways to entertain themselves.

One evening, Terry sat down at the gaming table with a basket of mending. She had not finished it from the last washing. It was delightfully peaceful for once. Casino was sitting across from her, writing a letter home. Chief was cleaning his knives, as always. Actor had just returned from the library with a new book to read and was lighting his pipe. Goniff was rummaging in the kitchen for more to eat. The wireless was on at a low volume giving updates on the weather.

Terry pulled the basket of clothes closer to her. She got her sewing kit set out on the gaming table and reached down for the first shirt. It didn’t come up as easily as it should. With a frown, Terry looked down and pulled the shirt up. The sleeve of another shirt followed the first shirt. Terry stared and pulled up more. The sleeve of the first shirt was sewn to the sleeve of the second shirt. Terry pulled harder. The other sleeve of the second shirt was sewn to a leg of one of Actor’s pants. Chief, Casino and Actor were watching her with smiles on their faces.

“Goniff!” yelled Terry.

The three men laughed heartily. Terry glared at them. Craig came to the door of his office to see what had upset his sister. By this time, she was standing up pulling a long string of sewn together clothing out of the basket. Craig started laughing.

“Did you want me, Love?” asked Goniff. He came out of the kitchen eating a chunk of fresh bread.

Terry looked at him narrowly holding two handfuls of clothing out to him. “Gon-iff?”

The little Cockney grinned, “You said it yourself, Love. We wouldn’t tease you if we didn’t like you.”

Terry stared at him, turned and looked at the laughing faces of the other men and her brother, and shook her head. Unable to help herself, she had to laugh too. At times it was like living with a bunch of kids.

The weather finally cleared, and Garrison was called to London for a briefing. Terry busied herself that afternoon, cooking a hearty meal because she had the time and she knew the menu for the next few days would probably be bread and cheese. That seemed to be the staple in safe houses.

With a thick, nourishing stew on the hob to simmer and a loaf of bread rising on the shelf over the oven, Terry sat down at the kitchen table and thought about Actor. Since she and Craig had tag-teamed the man, he seemed to be more of his normal self. He had admitted the dizziness and light-headedness had subsided, though there were still occasional headaches. His demeanor was close to pre-concussion, but he was still too quiet and contemplative. It worried her. She came to the conclusion that, no matter what, she was going along on this mission. If not to keep an eye on the Italian, then to be available if there were injuries . . . to him or the others. She had just put the bread in the oven when Garrison returned.

“Terry . . . office!”

The others watched, puzzled, as Terry followed her brother into the office and shut the door firmly behind her. They wondered what the change in plans was. The lieutenant never called her in to a conference first.

“I’m going with you on this one,” said Terry firmly.

Craig looked up from unlocking the briefcase at his desk and said drolly, “Good, ‘cause you’re coming with us on this one.”

That rather took the wind out of the girl’s sails. “Okay.”

“It’s a party. You will be with Actor as his companion, mistress, whatever. He is an SS colonel. His job will be to keep the other officers busy and gain as much information from them as possible.” Craig gave her a hard look. “We don’t have time to pull in another con woman.”

Terry seemed unaffected by that. “We don’t need one.”

Craig frowned. “Terry . . .”

“It will be all right,” assured Terry.

“He bailed on us the last time. What if he bails on you in the middle of the party?” 

“He won’t.” Terry spoke with confidence.

“You sure of that?” Craig wasn’t as confident.

“Yes. I trust him. He will be fine.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know. Now drop it.” They exchanged looks, his worried, hers defiant. “Just brief us like you normally do. Don’t make an issue out of it.”

Craig decided he would have to trust her instincts. He had promised the man a second chance and he really wanted Actor to come through on this. With a nod, he went to open the door and called the others in. They gathered around the table, with Terry taking a seat on the corner of Craig’s desk.

“We’re going to be dropped outside of Bordeaux. Resistance will pick us up with an ambulance and take us to a flat in the city. Tomorrow night there is a party at the villa of an Abwehr general. He has plans in his safe with the locations of some hidden factories that are producing parts for a new rocket the Krauts are working on.”

“Aw, Warden,” griped Casino. “Do we hafta go blow up the factories too?”

“No, Casino,” said Garrison with patience at the expected interruption. “A few strategically placed aerial bombs should take care of that.”

“Actor will be an SS colonel at the party. Terry will be his girlfriend. There will be some high class ‘escorts’ there to take care of the single men’s needs. I don’t want any of them trying to distract Actor from conversing with the other officers. Terry, it’s your job to keep them off Actor.” Literally, he wanted to add.

Terry smiled at the con man. “Liebchen, I will be stuck to you like glue. You know how jealous I get when you flirt with other women.”

Actor lifted one eyebrow at her indicating what he thought of that statement. There were a couple snickers from the table.

Garrison continued. “I will be the major who works with Actor. Casino will be our aide. Goniff, you and Chief will stay with the cars. Chief, you’ll be driving Actor and Terry. Goniff, you’ll be driving Casino and me. An hour and a half into the party, Casino and I will go to the office. The plans are in a walk-in safe. Fabrique.”

Casino nodded. “We stealin’ ‘em or copyin’ ‘em?”

“Copying. We don’t want them to know they have been compromised,” explained Garrison. “When we leave the party, we will meet at a safe house outside of Saint-Jean D’Illac. We’ll ditch the cars for a truck and drive to Arès where we’ll rendezvous with a sub.”

“Why two cars, Warden?” asked Chief.

“I’m hoping Actor will be getting a lot of information. He’s also going to be planting some. I want him to have leeway in the timing of his exit from the party.” Garrison looked around the group. “Any more questions?”

“Yeah, Warden,” piped up Goniff. “When’s dinner. I’m starvin’!”

GGGGG

On the flight over, Garrison and Actor extensively reviewed the information the con man was supposed to disseminate at the party. They called Terry over and Craig explained their covers in greater detail. When it was time to jump, the order was changed a little from normal. Chief went first, followed by Actor, Terry, Casino, Goniff and then Garrison.

The jump went smoothly with them all landing in a large field. Terry quickly began gathering her chute. To her relief, Actor strode up to her before she had finished and helped her bunch it up. He took it from her, and they made their way to the edge of the woods where he had stowed his under some bushes. Hers was hidden beneath another group of bushes. The con man seemed back on form.

They met up with the others and started on the walk through the woods to the road. An ambulance with two men in attendant’s uniforms was waiting for them. Terry hung back with the other three cons while Craig and Actor went to talk with the resistance members. Actor seemed to be doing the majority of the talking from their end. A moment later, Garrison motioned them to come on and the back of the ambulance was opened. The six of them climbed in.  
Terry found herself cozily wedged between her brother and Actor. At least she was warm. The group was silent for what seemed like a long ride into Bordeaux. There was one roadblock that was passed with a cursory wave by the German soldier. Apparently, he was used to the ambulance crew going about their business. In the back, everyone remained silent. As they moved on, Goniff’s persistent fidgeting earned him a kick in the leg from Garrison and subdued snickers from the rest. The little pickpocket took it with good grace and grinned with a shrug.

Eventually the ambulance turned and stopped, engine running. A moment later, it rolled slowly forward and stopped again. The engine was turned off. They waited. It was a minute before the doors were opened. Terry and Chief had switchblades concealed in their hands. Actor and Casino had their hands tucked inside jackets on pistols.

A uniformed ambulance attendant beckoned them with a hand to get out. Garrison jumped down first. He gave a quick scan of the area and nodded. Terry came next. The ‘attendant’ gave her a hand down. She thanked him in French which earned her a nod, a once over and a smile. She ignored him from there and did her own scan of the premises.

They seemed to be inside an empty warehouse which retained a vague odor of oil, hydraulic fluid and petrol. It was cavernous, empty, and hollow sounding. Chief stepped up beside Terry and Garrison.

“Good place to stash two sets of wheels,” he murmured.

The other Frenchman approached Craig and Actor. In French, he informed them there was an apartment upstairs which was quite comfortable and had two bedrooms. 

The two men thanked him and led the way to the metal stairs going up.

The apartment was surprisingly nice for being in a warehouse. It was well and comfortably furnished, unlike most of their safe houses. The furniture was a mixture of newer and antique. Terry poked her head in the first bedroom. It was large and accommodating. Goniff, as expected, made a beeline for the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later, munching on a thick sandwich made up of homemade bread, cheese and a large slab of smoked ham. There was a broad smile on his face.   
Now they settled in for the wait until the evening. Chief and Casino would go out and acquire two vehicles. Between that and guard duty, they all napped with the exception of Garrison and Actor.

GGGGG

They all watched the door to the second bedroom. It remained closed. Garrison looked at his watch for the tenth time. Damn it, not again, he thought. The gowned and jeweled woman beside him stepped ahead of him. With purpose she walked up to the door and paused, hand on knob, and shot a defiant look at her brother. Without knocking she opened the door and slipped inside, shutting it firmly behind her.

“Bloody ‘ell,” whispered Goniff in surprise.

Casino was about to protest, but the murderous look Garrison had fixed on the door made him close his mouth, for once.

Actor turned his head and stared as Teresa walked in like she owned the place. He was wearing the dress pants and shoes, and nothing else. Terry walked behind him as though it was a common occurrence for her to be closed in the room with him while he dressed.

“You better get a move on,” Terry said casually. “It’s getting late and you still have to help me with the hair and makeup.”

She ignored him from there, pulling the chair out at the desk and sitting in front of Actor’s makeup kit. She laid her gloves and diamond earrings on the desk and opened the kit. Removing the top tray with the assortment of mustaches, she took out the comb and pins that were hers.

Actor watched her start to pull up her hair and pin it. Seeing her casualness that bespoke trust in him was the unconscious prod he needed. Terry stifled a sigh of relief as he slipped his arms into the sleeves of the dress shirt. She had her hair mostly up by the time he finished dressing.

“I will finish the hair,” said Actor. “Start on the makeup.”

Terry slid the pins and comb off to the side and pulled out the bag with her makeup. She began applying the makeup as he had taught her. His hands swiftly and efficiently finished putting up her hair.

“Scent?” he asked.

“Bottom of the case.” Terry applied the lipstick.

Actor located the small vial of perfume and dabbed touches of the scent on her hair. His finger dabbed behind both her ears and in a move that surprised her, he slipped a finger between her breasts and dabbed some there to.”

“And whose nose do you think is going to get down there?” she asked wryly.

He shrugged and teased, “You may find a suitor more tasteful to you than I.”

“In your dreams,” she shot back. “You ain’t gettin’ rid of me that easily. I’m supposed to protect you from all those amorous women.”

She received a snort in reply to that statement. Terry stood up and pulled the long white gloves on. As she did, she saw him for the first time remove the signet ring. She watched in interest as he raised it quickly to his lips before placing it in the tray of the case and replaced it with the Totenkopf pinky ring of an SS colonel. Terry turned to face him. His demeanor was close, but not quite there. She reached up and adjusted the cross at his throat and the medals on his chest, smoothing the material of his jacket.

Looking him in the eye, she said, “As someone we both know well would say, “You’re SS, Baby. Show ‘em what you’re made of.”

Actor watched her close her eyes, straighten taller and turn into a haughty, elegant mistress. She opened her eyes and watched him straighten almost imperceptibly and take on the stern sneer of the SS officer that had scared her not that many months ago.

“Sollen wir, Liebchen?” he said.

“Sicherlich, Mein Herr.”

Actor opened the door and Terry swept through, his hand on the small of her back. Garrison took in the haughty gaze of both of them. He wasn’t sure if he was angry or relieved.

“Get the bags and let’s go.”

GGGGG

The party was well underway. Terry’s eyes swept the room with casual alertness. There were enough medals on masculine chests to make a girl go blind: Abwehr, Wehrmacht, SS, and French. Of course, there were plenty of sparkles to keep the men’s eyes busy too. There were enough jewels in the room to feed an entire village for at least six months. She couldn’t complain much. She did not want to know where Actor had acquired the silver and diamond necklace that graced her throat or the diamond earrings dangling from her lobes. Craig would have a stroke if it turned out the Italian had borrowed them from a museum somewhere. 

At this moment, her colonel was engaged in a lively conversation with three other German officers. He seemed to be in his element. Terry decided it was safe to leave him and wandered over to the buffet table. The lavish spread of pates, caviars, foie gras, cheeses, cakes and pastries disgusted Terry even as she enjoyed the foods she had never tasted before. She picked up a plate and moved slowly down the table, trying to decide what to partake of. Foie gras turned out to be an acquired taste she had no desire to acquire. Some of the pates were delicious. She took tiny slices with crackers. Beluga was divine, as long as she didn’t let her mind think of the salmon eggs she used to catch trout on Cut Bank Creek. Moving farther down, she could not suppress a tiny smile. There was a tiered silver server with chocolate covered éclairs. Actor was doing so well, he deserved to have an éclair.

“May I serve you?” came a voice in German behind her.

Terry turned with a smile to an Aryan blond smiling officer in a formal Abwehr uniform. “Why thank you, Major,” she replied. “I was looking at an éclair.”

The man stepped around her, picked up tongs and transferred one of the pastries to her plate. Teresa nodded her thanks. 

“Major Hans Jaeger,” he introduced himself with a click of heels and short tip of the head.

“Renate Stadler,” she replied.

“You are with Col. Mueller,” said the officer. “SS.”

Terry was watchful. She knew there was a rivalry between the Abwehr and the SS. She had found the mingling of the two branches of the German military at this party to be interesting. “Yes,” she replied with a smile. “I am with Friedrich.”

“Lucky man,” complemented Jaeger. “If you would excuse me, I see someone I must speak with. It has been a pleasure, Fraulein Stadler.”

“Thank you, Major Jaeger.”

Terry watched the man give another tight bow and move away to approach a couple men by the far wall. The man had nice manners, but he was no Actor. She judged him to be between Craig and Actor in age. And there was something about him that made the hair want to stand up on the back of her neck. There was nothing about the conversation or interaction with the man that would substantiate her feelings. Still she was happy to get back close to Actor. She stayed behind and to his left, only a little closer than she normally would, but not so close as to intrude on the conversation.

She ate the caviar, pates and crackers and left the éclair. Eventually, the small party of men broke up. Actor turned to Teresa and accepted the plate and her fork.

“Trying to sweeten me up?” he teased quietly in German.

“Of course,” replied Terry. “I want to dance with you if you think we can fit that in.”

“I believe that can be arranged.” 

Actor finished the pastry and handed the empty plate to a passing waiter. The band was playing again, so the Italian took Terry in hand and waltzed her around the dance floor. She caught sight of Jaeger with a couple other officers. It made her feel better knowing exactly where the man was. Now, she allowed herself to enjoy the dance. When it ended, Actor smiled down at her. She smiled back and tilted her head to accept a brief kiss. She missed Jaeger watching them.

They casually meandered around the room until Actor engaged in conversation with another group of officers. Terry stayed close. A half hour later, she noticed Jaeger was gone. That was a relief. She still remained close to Actor.  
Not long after that, Terry spotted Craig and Casino at the entry to the long hall. She walked over to them with a smile on her face. 

“Ah, Major Wolff,” she greeted her brother. “Leaving so soon? I am disappointed. I did not get a dance with you.”

“Don’t push it,” warned Craig with humor in German. “How’s he doing?”

“Wonderful,” said Terry. ‘I think he’s getting a lot of intel. And you two?”

“Got what we were after.”

A couple came close.

“I will be happy to tell Freddie you are going home, Major,” said Terry congenially.

After the couple had passed and there was no one in the immediate vicinity, Casino looked quizzically at Terry. He had only understood one word of the conversation in German. “Freddie?”

Terry gave him a put-upon look and Craig glared at the safecracker. Renate glanced back at her Freddie. A raven-haired young woman on three-inch stilettos was easing her way up to Actor.

“Excuse me, the vultures are beginning to circle,” murmured Terry in English. “I must go rescue the dear boy.”

“Oh, he’s gonna love you for that,” muttered Casino with suppressed glee.

“I’m sure he already does,” smiled Terry. In a normal tone, she said, “Gute Nacht, meine Herren.”

As the two men left, Terry made her way back to Actor. She moved in close to the woman who was not as young as she looked from a distance. The woman returned her perusal. Terry had a smile pasted on her face. She gave the interloper her best “get the hell away from my man” look she could muster. It worked and the woman turned and moved away. Terry’s hand casually touched the small of Actor’s back and her forefinger tapped twice, signaling him Garrison and Casino had left. There was no pause in his conversation or acknowledgement of the gesture.

The evening continued on. With no sign of Jaeger, Terry was a bit more relaxed. One of the generals who was in the group with Actor, asked the ‘colonel’ for permission to dance with Renate. Actor graciously consented and Terry found herself with another wonderful dance partner. She lightly flirted with the officer who looked to be in his early 60’s. It was just enough to bolster his ego without cuckolding Actor.

Terry wandered the room and came back to the buffet table. She realized the party would be winding down as the caviar was almost gone. Glancing at Actor, engrossed in conversation, she decided to find the ladies’ room. The one in this palatial place had to be better than behind a tree in the cold woods.

The powder room was indeed elegant with marble sinks and gold fixtures. Terry seated herself at a long dressing table in front of a large etched mirror and proceeded to freshen her makeup. She made small talk with the wife of the general she had danced with, being sure to extol what a wonder man her Freddie was to her. In the end, she found herself alone in the room. With a last tuck to her hair, she went out into the empty hall. Obviously, things were winding down. She stepped spritely down the hall, intent on finding Actor.

A door opened just behind her to the left. Terry’s head shot around and she caught a glimpse of the side of a handgun swinging at her before pain exploded in her temple followed by darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little mature subject matter in this chapter.

Actor looked around the room for Teresa. She had been gone from his side for twenty minutes. The other guests were slowly making their way out the front doors. It was not like Teresa to disappear on him. It gave him a bad feeling. He made his way into the hall searching for her reddish hair amongst the bobbing blond and dark heads.

General Graf approached him. “Is something wrong?”

“I am sure there isn’t,” said Actor, not at all sure. “But I seem to be unable to locate the young woman who was with me.”

“Renate?” asked Frau Graf.

“Yes, gnädige Frau,” replied Actor with a respectful click of his heels.

“Why I left her not ten minutes ago,” smiled the older woman. “She was in the powder room. Would you like me to see if she is still there?”

“That is most kind of you,” said Actor gallantly. “Perhaps she has taken ill.”

The graying woman laughed, giving Actor a good appraising look. “More likely, mein lieber junger Mann, she is primping in front of the mirror.”

Frau Graf threaded her way down the hall. She allowed a smile to stay to her face. The colonel was a very handsome man with a commanding presence. Possibly a bit old for the girl, but maybe not. The fact they were not married did not bother the older woman. Few remembered when she and Gerhardt had run off together. It had taken them a year to finally marry. That marriage had lasted now for forty-five years.

Actor and General Graf waited for Frau Graf’s return. Actor would have been amused at being called ‘young man’ if he wasn’t so worried about Teresa. A look of puzzlement on the face of the returning woman did nothing to relieve Actor’s anxiety.

“She is not there,” said Frau Graf.

Actor smiled, “Perhaps she has gone out to the car. Thank you for your trouble, gnädige Frau Graf.” He picked up the woman’s hand and bent to kiss the back of it.

The three of them walked out to the area where the cars were parked. Actor made himself walk slowly to where Chief was with their Mercedes. The Indian frowned at his solitary approach.

“Where’s Terry?” asked Chief in a low voice.

“She is not with you?” asked Actor in return.

“No, ain’t seen her since I dropped you two at the door. What’s goin’ on?”

It was Actor’s turn to frown. “She has been missing for at least a half hour now.”

Chief pushed the open back door of the sedan shut. He heard the underlying worry in the older man’s voice. His eyes were narrow and alert. “What we gonna do now?”

“I am going back inside,” said Actor. “Can you search the grounds?”

“No problem,” replied the Indian. “They won’t let the dogs out until everybody’s gone.”

Actor nodded. “We will meet back here.”

Chief nodded. Actor turned and headed back toward the house. At the steps he looked back at the car. Chief had disappeared. The con man made his way back into the building and down the hall to the powder room. He opened the door a crack.

“Renate?”

There was no answer. Actor entered the powder room and quickly checked around. It was empty. He left and started back down the hall. Tiny spots of color on the pristine white walls caught his eye. He backed up and looked closer. Red. Blood. A chill went through him. Glancing around first to make sure he was not being observed, Actor let himself into the room in front of him. Soft desk light illuminated the room from multiple lamps. It was a library with clusters of chairs with tables. A small table had been moved close to the door, conspicuously out of place compared to the symmetry of the rest of the room. A couple papers were scattered on the floor beside it along with an overturned ashtray and a pile of cigarette butts and ash. A few papers remained in a stack on the table, appearing to have been disturbed, as though something had brushed against it in passing. If that was Teresa’s blood on the wall, then someone appeared to have been laying in wait for her. That thought increased the Italian’s anxiety. Actor continued on to the French door leading outside. It was unlatched. He switched the lights off from that switch and opened the door, slipping outside. As he waited close to the bushes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, Chief slipped up beside him. The Indian said nothing and just held something out to the Italian. It was Terry’s clutch.

“Where did you find this?” asked Actor quietly.

“Over there,” he nodded to his right. “There’s three outbuildings and a lotta woods.”

“Chief,” said Actor. “There’s blood.”

The two men exchanged solemn looks. “Guess that means we better hurry,” said Chief.

They started off, keeping close to the bushes, ducking into cover when a guard came by. Actor motioned for Chief to take one of the buildings and he would check a different one. Scanning the area for guards as he moved forward, the younger man sprinted to the nearest building on the left. There was a padlock on the door that was old and rusty. Chief glanced toward the building Actor had gone too. He seemed to have found the same thing. A slit of white at the window of the third building caught the younger man’s eye. Someone had a light on in that building.

The call of a night hawk caused Actor’s head to jerk around toward the Indian. Chief pointed urgently at the third building. The con man took off at a ground covering long-legged run. He stopped outside the door, checking that his derringer was in his inner jacket pocket. The sounds of a struggle reached him. Not waiting for Chief, he took a deep breath and burst into the building. The scene in front of him sent him into a full-blown rage.

GGGGG

The sound of ripping fabric and a hard tugging on the front of her, brought Terry groggily conscious. Her wrists were tied spread above her head. A gag was stuffed in her mouth. Ankles were tied apart to table legs. She looked up into the crazed, lust-filled face of Major Jaeger. He had ripped her dress from the neck to the waist and now shoved it aside to grasp her left breast in a hard, twisting squeeze. Terry tried to scream in pain and fear, but only a strangled noise came out. The pain of the assault brought her fully awake and she tried to fight. Her limbs were restrained and could not cooperate. A hard, male knee was shoved roughly between her legs. She writhed and tried harder to fight off her attacker.

Suddenly, there was a roar of rage. The major was lifted bodily off of her and flung into a table against the wall. Black spots obscured Terry’s vision and she blinked trying to stay conscious. The cough of a small gun reached her ears. The next thing she knew, Actor was on one knee beside her, a hand stroking her head while the other tried to pull the tatters of her dress over her nakedness. The gag was removed from her mouth so she could breathe more easily. She looked up into his enraged face and prominent eyes as he tore his tunic off and covered her.

Chief skidded to the open door; gun ready. He took in the tableau. Terry was staked to the floor, limbs secured to heavy metal table legs. Actor was beside her now, covering her with his jacket and pulling her dress down to her knees. It didn’t take a genius to see what had been occurring. 

Chief looked at the sprawled man across the room. It was a blond German officer, whose sightless, surprised eyes flanked a small black hole in the middle of his forehead with a single drop of blood oozing from it. His pants were about his knees, the instrument of his planned assault now lying limp and benign atop his thigh. 

“What the hell did you kill him for?” Chief demanded angrily.

Actor looked up at him startled. “You wanted him alive?”

Chief’s switchblade snapped open, “Yeah, Apache’s have ways of dealin’ with White Eyes who do somethin’ like that.”

Actor shuddered as he realized what Chief meant. Maybe there were still some savage tendencies in the young man. Right now, the con man’s gut was overriding his more refined sensibilities and he agreed with the Indian.

“Give me your knife,” commanded Actor.

The blade twirled in the Indian’s hand and flew through the air, hilt first to the con man. Actor caught it and quickly cut the binding on Terry’s wrists and ankles.

“Did he?” asked Chief in dread.

Actor shot a look at Terry’s face. A silent no was formed by her lips. “No,” repeated the Italian with relief. He closed the knife and tossed it back to Chief.

“I’ll get rid of the body,” said the younger man. His eyes told the older man a multitude of information. “Can you get her to the car?”

“I believe so,” said Actor. “We will meet you there.”

The tall con man helped Teresa to her feet. She felt shaky, dizzy, and afraid. She could feel the tension in the hand under her arm. Looking up at a height that seemed intimidating, she could see a muscle twitch with suppressed anger in the strong jaw. Now she could see how dangerous the Italian could be. Without turning her head, she cast a glance at the sprawled body of her attacker. She had no problem with the man being dead. She would not think about the fact there was no gun in evidence near the body.  
Chief did a quick check outside and motioned to Actor that it was clear. Terry needed to hang on to his arm to keep upright, but she really did not wish to be too close to the con man. Her head hurt, her left breast hurt, and she was lightheaded. Her thoughts seemed disjointed to her. She just concentrated on keeping the jacket covering her, putting one wobbly high heeled foot in front of the other and followed Actor’s guidance. Skirting around bushes and fountains, they made it to the car without incident. Apparently, Jaeger was not missed yet.  
Terry was assisted into the backseat of the car. She huddled into herself, holding the jacket tightly. That she refused to look at Actor worried him. His first instinct was to pull her to him and hold her closely, but he sensed this might be unwelcome, so he simply sat beside her and felt impotent to help her; something that frustrated him greatly.

It wasn’t long before Chief silently appeared, sliding behind the wheel of the big car and starting the engine. “It’s taken care of,” he told Actor. “Maybe we can get away before the dogs find him.”

“Hopefully,” said Actor.

As the car pulled down the drive, Chief sent a worried look at the rearview mirror. “She okay?”

“As well as one can expect,” replied Actor.

As they approached the gate, Chief hissed at Actor, “Roadblock already.”

Actor nodded. He turned to the girl. “Teresa,” he said in a soothing voice, “I am going to put my arm around you and hold you tightly against me. Do not fight me and do not move or make a sound. Allow me to do the talking.”

He received a silent nod in return. His arm went around her shoulders and tucked her up against him. He adjusted the jacket to cover her far shoulder more yet keep the front of her concealed. Chief pulled up to the gate. A guard with a rifle slung on his shoulder tapped on Chief’s window. The Indian rolled it down and said nothing. The guard bent down and peered into the back.

“Laβ uns durchfahren! Die junge Dame ist krank!“ commanded Actor.

“Wenn ich Ihnen helfen dürfte, Standartenführer?“ asked the young guard.

“Nein!” spat out Actor. “Mach das Fenster zu! Sie ist kalt!”

The guard pulled back and motioned the other guard to pull the barricade back. Chief quickly rolled up the window. He did not understand what Actor had said but got the idea. As soon as the car had turned and traveled down the road a bit, Terry straightened and edged away from Actor. She focused on the back of the seat in front of her and did not look up until they reached the new safe house in the woods outside of Saint-Jean D’Illac. Her face was closed, and she did not speak.

They had made good time to the safe house. Actor helped Terry out of the car. She held onto his arm from necessity. She was dizzy and wanted to pass out. She forced herself upright and tried to walk. Her knees kept buckling and the high heels wobbled. The next thing she knew she was up in Actor’s arms. She remembered the enraged look on his face and felt fear instead of safety. 

Goniff was on guard duty and ran to get the door. Actor strode inside. Garrison and Casino, sitting at the table going over the papers from the safe, were on their feet in an instant. Terry could not face her brother and the other men right now. Not with the condition she was in and the condition of her clothing. She turned her head to face Actor’s shoulder but remained stiff in his arms.

“What happened?” demanded Garrison.

“An attempted rape,” said Actor. He looked at the other man. “Casino, get a cold wet towel for her face!” he barked the order.

Actor carried her to the bedroom and kicked the door open. Terry winced. Garrison followed them in and shut the door behind them. He watched the con man gently lay Terry on the bed and sit beside her. Actor brushed the hair back and inspected the swollen bruised abrasion on her face. She looked away from him. It gave him pause and now he suddenly realized she was afraid of him. Madre di Dio! 

“Lieutenant?” said Actor in a forced calm voice. Garrison was standing beside Actor watching. “I believe it would be best if you took care of her.”

“Does she need medical attention?” asked Craig. He had heard Actor say attempted rape but did not know how badly Terry was injured.

“Possibly,” replied Actor, “but I do not believe she will accept it from me right now.” He turned to Terry. “Teresa?” his voice was soothing even if his emotions were not. “Your brother is right here. He will help you.” There was no response. “Teresa, Craig is here. It is all right. No one is going to hurt you.”

The con man shot a look of apology to his commanding officer for the familiar use of Garrison’s first name. Craig nodded. Actor got up and Garrison took his place. Actor went to get Teresa’s clothes out of the duffle bag.

Craig sat beside Terry, one hand gently stroking her hair as he took in the damage to her face. Shock turned to anger and self recrimination. He wanted very much to kill the person who had done this to his sister. At the same time, he felt responsible because it was his plan that had her at the party in the first place. The fact that Terry would not look at him either made him feel even guiltier. He carefully lifted Actor’s jacket off of her and caught sight of her left breast. It was swollen and turning black.

“Ah shit, Terry,” said Garrison in frustration at the further damage done to her.

Terry now shot a look at him. His expression was angry, and she couldn’t tell what else. Naturally, he would blame her. Granted it was her fault for leaving Actor, but damn it anyway! She grabbed the remnants of her dress and tried to cover herself.

“Let Actor check that,” said her brother, voice harsh with worry and guilt.

“It’s fine,” said Terry firmly. “Give me my clothes.”

A knock came to the door and Garrison reluctantly went to answer it. He opened it to Casino. The safecracker held out a wet towel. Garrison was blocking the view into the room and the look on the officer’s face was forbidding. Craig took the towel and shut the door in the safecracker’s face.

Casino turned back to the others in the room. “He’s mad.”

“Think he’s mad?” said Chief. “You shoulda seen Actor. He picked that guy offa Terry and threw him. Didn’t think twice about shootin’ him either. Actor’s back.”

Casino remembered the order barked at him. “I guess.”

Actor brought Terry’s clothes over to the bed and laid them atop the covers, being careful not to touch her. That she still refused to make eye contact with him hurt. Merda! Did she really think he could possibly harm her? Apparently so. He stood there almost stunned. Craig came over and looked down at his now angry sister. He handed her the wet towel.

“Would you two mind?” she asked. “I want to get dressed. I don’t need an audience.”

“You need help?” asked Garrison, uncertainly. He wasn’t used to seeing his sister naked, let alone helping her dress.

“If I do, I’ll ask for it.” It was said with anger.

Garrison looked at Actor. The con man motioned for them to go across the room. They stood away from Terry with their backs turned. The con man was stony faced. Garrison didn’t know what was going on. Anger was not what he expected from his sister. Craig’s pent up emotions let loose in a fist slammed into the wall. Actor’s hand gripped his forearm in restraint, but there was understanding on the con man’s face.

“We need to leave quickly,” advised Actor in a low voice so the woman could not hear. “We left a body behind. Chief disposed of it. I am unsure of the condition of it when Chief finished with it.”

Craig looked at his second and realized what he was saying. “Good!” said Garrison adamantly, “’Cuz if he wasn’t dead, I’d have to go back and kill him. And it wouldn’t be pretty either.” He walked to the door and looked out at the other men.

“Get ready. We’re leaving.”

Terry dressed and stood, albeit a bit unsteadily, and held the cloth to her face. The two men watched her take unsteady steps toward the door. Actor stepped forward to take her arm out of habit.

“Don’t touch me!” she ordered. “Either one of you.”

“Terry, for heaven’s sake, what’s the matter with you?” asked Craig. He couldn’t believe she was rejecting assistance from Actor. 

“Warden, leave her alone,” warned Actor in a steady tone.

Terry opened the door and walked, with the careful steps of a drunken person, into the main room. Casino sprang up to go to her assistance, not understanding why the other two men weren’t helping her. The cold, distrustful look on her face made his freeze. The safe cracker looked at Garrison in confusion. The lack of comprehension on the Warden’s face didn’t help him understand any better.

“Casino, get the bags,” said Garrison.

Casino went to get them without any objection. The lieutenant and Actor flanked Terry from behind as she walked out the front door. Chief took one look at her face and backed away. Goniff watched from a distance as he continued guard duty.   
The cars had disappeared to be replaced by a large truck. Garrison skirted around Terry and got to the back of the truck before her. He laced his fingers together and bent down.

“Leg up,” he said quietly.

Terry hesitated and placed a booted foot in his hands. Instead of placing a hand on his shoulder, she gripped the top of the tailgate. Craig lifted her and she swung a leg over the top, climbing into the dark interior. Actor shot a worried look at Garrison and leapt up with a foot on the bumper to swing inside. He accepted the bags from Casino and gave him a hand to get in. Goniff tossed his rifle up to Casino and climbed in the back also. Chief got in the driver’s side of the front with Garrison beside him. 

Terry made her way to the front of the truck. There were filled burlap bags piled haphazardly in the corner. She lay on her side atop them, wiggling to get some semblance of comfort. The cold cloth was held to her head. Goniff picked up a blanket from a stack on the floor. The other two watched as he shook it open and slowly approached Terry as one might a frightened animal.

“’Ow about a blanket there, Love?” he asked. The pickpocket draped the wool blanket over her. “Mind if I sit next to you?” Goniff asked. “I won’t touch you ‘less you say it’s all right.”

“Thanks,” she replied barely above a whisper.

Goniff eased himself down to sit on another burlap sack, close by, but not touching the girl. He tucked his knees up to his chest and huddled against the cold. Casino tossed a blanket to him and he wrapped it around himself, settling in for the long ride.   
The safecracker handed a blanket to Actor and took one for himself. Actor had pulled the covers down on the back of the truck, trying to lessen the chill. He took first watch.

It was approaching dawn when Garrison instructed Chief to turn up a dirt track outside of Arès. He knew there was a safe house there, but not if it was already occupied. The house turned out to be an empty derelict barn. The wooden double doors were large enough to accommodate the width and height of the truck so they pulled inside after Casino and Garrison checked the area. They laid low during the day, Terry staying in the truck, curled up on the sacks under her blanket. Goniff stayed with her most of the time. When he left the truck, one of the other cons or Garrison would sit in there close to the tailgate.

Toward late afternoon, Chief and Actor made a foray toward Arès. When they returned the news was not good. There was a roadblock on the road into town. Garrison pulled out the map and spread it on an old crate.

“We’re going to have to walk the rest of the way,” he said.

“How far?” asked Casino.

“Little under five miles to the cove from here,” said Craig.

Actor showed him a look of disbelief. “Warden, she can’t walk that far in the condition she is in,” he objected.

“She’s going to have to,” replied Craig. He looked at his tight-lipped second. “I don’t like it, but there’s no alternative. If she can’t walk it, we’ll have to take turns carrying her.”

“She won’t allow that,” denied the con man.

“She won’t have a choice. Get ready.” 

Craig folded the map up and tucked it inside his jacket. He didn’t like the idea any better than Actor, but they had to get out of there. His sister was tough, or at least she had been until this happened. She would have to be tough again. He climbed into the back of the truck. Terry turned her head to look at him as he squatted down next to her. Her right eye watched him warily. Her left eye was black and almost swollen shut.

“We have to walk,” said Craig. “It’s five miles. Can you make it?”

“I’ll make it,” she replied coldly. “When?”

“Now.”

Garrison stood up and reached a hand down. Terry shook her head slightly. 

“Just give me a minute, okay? I’ll be there.”

Garrison sighed. “Okay.”

Terry waited until he had climbed back out of the truck. She slowly levered herself into a sitting position and waited for the dizziness to pass. Five miles. That would be from the ranch house down the drive to 89. She’d done it more than once to get the mail and walked it back. Piece of cake. As she gripped the side of the truck and pulled herself up another wave of dizziness hit her. Piece of cake? Sure, it was. Who was she kidding? I can do this, she told herself. She was determined not to give Craig anything more to hold against her. After a couple deep breaths, Terry swung a leg over the tailgate and eased herself down to the ground.

Goniff approached her hesitantly. “Can I walk with you?” he asked in a bright voice as though they were going on a picnic. “If you get shattered, I’ll give you a ‘and.”

Terry looked at the slight Cockney and the corner of her mouth twitched in affectionate amusement. Not at all intimidating, the Englishman was the same height and probably close to the same weight as she was. She didn’t know what he’d do if she went down, but it was nice of him to offer. “Thanks,” she said softly.

Goniff cocked his head and studied her face. “That skanky bloke sure gave you a shiner.”

“I know. I can feel it,” said Terry.

“It’s all right, Love,” assured Goniff. “We keep you out of the Doves ‘til it heals nobody’ll ever know.”

Any other time Terry would have laughed at that. She was too tired, too sore, and too depressed to see the humor. Instead she gave a careful nod and joined the others at the door. Goniff stayed close but did not touch her.

The walk was long and cold. Chief took point with Garrison behind him. Terry and Goniff came next. Casino followed at a slight distance and Actor watched their tail. Craig again made frequent rest stops. At one point he came back to where Terry was resting on a large rock.

“You doing okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” said Terry woodenly.

“Sure, you are. Why don’t you let Actor check you?”

“Why? I have a concussion, a black eye, one of the udders hurts like hell. Nothing life threatening. I don’t need to be looked at.” She realized she was being harsh. “Craig, I know what you’re doing with the rest stops and I appreciate it. I really do. But don’t make us miss the sub on my account.”

Garrison shook his head. “We won’t miss the sub.”

“Then let’s go.”

Garrison got back up. Again, Terry ignored the hand he held out to help her. God, the girl was stubborn. Well, all the Garrison kids were. He motioned the band to continue on.

They were about a mile from the pickup location when Craig called another halt. He gathered the group around.

“Actor and I will go in first,” he instructed. The rest of you will wait ten minutes and follow. If there’s trouble, get the hell out of here.” Garrison didn’t have to tell them their priority was Terry’s safety. He needed Actor with his language and conning skills if they ran into an ambush and he knew Chief could get the others out of danger if need be.

Terry took full advantage of the ten-minute lag. She was getting very light-headed and knew it was a combination of the concussion and nothing to eat since the hors d’oeuvres at the party. It was just another mile. The house to the upper meadow. Easy.  
Chief led them off. Goniff and Casino were behind Terry. They made it three quarters of a mile before Terry started to weave. She refused Goniff’s help.

Casino watched Terry fighting to stay upright and shook his head. “Terry!” He parked himself in her path, legs spread, hands on hips, arms akimbo. “You have proved yourself, okay? Babe, we all agree, you got balls. Now will you let us take care of you for a change?”

The girl stopped and looked at him. The color drained from her face, her eyes rolled back, and she crumpled. Goniff tried to catch her, but only succeeded in cushioning her fall as she knocked him over on her way down. The three men looked at her.

“Well, that worked well,” drawled Chief.

Casino shook his head. He stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, hauling the top part of her up. “Come on, Sweetheart, time to go for a ride.” He hoisted her over his shoulder, one arm grabbed her legs in front of him and the other hand pulled her wrist over his other shoulder. With her dangling upside down on his back, the safecracker took off down the path.

Chief gave Goniff a hand up. They looked at the two and exchanged surprised looks. Chief hurried to get ahead of the safecracker who was striding determinedly up the path. Goniff scurried to catch up.

Two rubber rafts were on the shore. Two of the navy men were standing guard. Garrison was talking to one of the leaders of the sub crew. Actor was watching the path for signs of the others. Chief came through first and rolled his eyes at the con man. Actor looked behind the Indian and stared at what could only be Teresa’s legs hanging down the front of the safecracker.

“Buon Dio!” he exclaimed. “Casino, put her down!”

Craig’s head shot up and he watched Actor take the limp form of his sister. Actor hefted her into his arms and strode toward Garrison.

“She okay?” Craig asked worriedly.

“She is unconscious,” answered the Italian. “Let us get her to the sub quickly, where she may be examined more closely.”

GGGGG

Terry regained consciousness and opened her eyes. A man she did not know was bent over the top of her. She came up fighting. He grabbed her arms and pinned her down. She kicked and screamed.

“Terry! Easy!”

Terry’s eyes glanced down and saw her brother at the foot of the gurney she was on. Breathing hard, she glanced back and forth between the two men warily.

“It’s all right, Miss,” said the stranger, letting go of her arms. “You’re on a navy sub. I’m a physician.” His voice was calm and soothing. “You have a mild concussion.”

No kidding, thought Terry.

“I have cleaned up the wound on the side of your head a bit and bandaged it. It should heal nicely.”

She knew an infirmary when she saw one and had no desire to be a patient in one. She didn’t want some man poking and prodding her. Terry’s eyes moved back to her brother. In a quiet, deadly tone, she said, “Get me the hell out of here.”

“No!” blasted Craig adamantly. “You are going to keep your backside on that gurney until we reach England, if I have to tie you to it!”

“That is not helping, Lieutenant,” said a deep Italian accented voice. Actor had sprinted for the infirmary at Teresa’s scream.

Terry eyed the three men. Now she was really outnumbered. Craig ran a hand through his tawny hair as he did when he was upset. Actor eyed her back with concern.

“Would you like us to get Goniff to sit with you?” asked the con man. “You might wish to take advantage of the more comfortable gurney until we reach the sub pen.” 

He was using the voice on her and they both knew it. “Don’t bother Goniff,” she said. “I’m fine. You don’t have to restrain me. I won’t go anywhere.”

“No place to go,” said the physician cheerily. “You’re on a sub.”

Terry pulled the blanket up to her chin, twisted around onto her side and closed her eyes. She remained that way for the rest of the trip.

Once on shore, Garrison found a phone and called London, getting Christine out of bed. “Meet us at the Mansion. It’s your sister. She won’t let any of us touch her.”

“What happened?” demanded Chris, immediately wide awake. “Is she all right?”

“I’ll tell you when we get there. Don’t wait for the train. Drive. I’ll give you gas ration tickets when you get there.” Garrison did not want to address this over the phone lines. He figured it would be bad enough when they met up at the Mansion.


	6. Chapter 6

Christine Garrison stood at the top of the steps and watched the army supply truck rumble up the drive. The sun was just coming up and the clouds were losing their rosy hue. It was cold outside and so was Crystal inside. Something bad must have happened to Terry. Chris wished Craig had at least given her an idea of what. Her sister wouldn’t let Craig’s men touch her? Why? Terry wasn’t afraid of any of them. What had happened? Her first thought was that Actor had bailed on Terry. She couldn’t believe that. Terry had said the con man was getting better. Chris and Terry had met for lunch one day, barely a week ago, at a restaurant in London. Terry had talked about the men, about how she felt she could depend on them and how well they treated her. Terry had also talked more in depth about Actor. How after her initial feeling of intimidation she had developed a friendship of sorts with him and trusted that he would take care of her if she were in trouble. She had also voiced her fear that the man would not recover sufficiently from his concussion to remain part of the team and she would lose him.

The truck stopped in the courtyard. Craig jumped down from the front seat and disappeared around the side of the truck. Actor appeared at the back corner. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with him. She glimpsed Goniff, Casino and Chief moving around. After what seemed like a prolonged time, Terry appeared around the back of the truck. She was holding onto the side for support, all five men hovering, but not helping her. Terry’s head came up to look at her sister. Christine gasped as she saw the swollen black eye that stuck out like a beacon. Oh, my God, she thought.

Chris hurried down the stairs and ran up to Terry. The older girl just looked back at her with an odd mixture of defeat and defiance. Christine’s eyes immediately turned accusingly to their brother.

“Cra-ig?” she said narrowly.“No!” The denial came from both Craig and Terry.

“Jeez, Chris!” objected Garrison.

Chris looked around at the faces behind Terry. They were all quiet and worried. Actor’s concern was palpable. The girl looked back at her sister. She didn’t think the girl could make it up two flights of stairs.

“Why don’t you let Actor carry you to your room? I’m sure he would.” 

All Terry could see was the Italian’s enraged face in her mind. She took a deep breath, straightened and strode toward the stairs. Chris watched her back in surprise and shot a questioning glance at Actor. The con man wore an expression of pain and guilt. At her perusal, his mask of indifference slid into place. Chris turned and hurried after Terry.

Somehow the older girl made it up to her room under her own power. Chris scurried around, turning down the bed. Terry was stripping her clothes off and tossing them in a heap on the floor. Crystal saw the left breast that was a mirror image of the black eye.

“Terry, who hurt you?” she demanded.

“Jaeger.”

“Who is Jaeger?”

“Was,” clarified Terry. “A Kraut.” She headed for the bathroom. “Gotta take a shower.”

“Shower?” Chris yelped. “Sister, you can hardly stand, let alone take a shower.”

“I have to have a shower.” It was spoken a firm steady voice.

There was no arguing with Terry in the mood she was in. Chris stood by in the bathroom and helped her into pajamas when she was done. Now Terry hung onto Chris for support to get back to the bed. She was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Chris gazed at the curled up woman worriedly for a minute and then barreled angrily out the door. She almost tripped over Craig and Actor, who had apparently been waiting in the hall. Craig’s face still wore an angry expression, while Actor looked openly worried. Chris shook her head. In a low voice so as not to disturb Terry, she said to Craig, “Downstairs, your office, now.” She shot a firm look at Actor. “Both of you.”

The three went down the stairs together. The set of Christine’s shoulders bespoke anger. She looked up at the three other cons standing in the common room, watching and waiting for any word on Terry. Chris pushed into Craig’s office and shut the door behind the two men after they entered. 

“What happened to Terry?” demanded Chris. “And who is Jaeger?”

Craig looked at his second, still not really knowing the whole story. 

Actor looked at a spot on the floor. His voice was subdued when he spoke. “Jaeger was a German officer at the party. He somehow abducted Teresa, knocked her unconscious and took her to a secluded location. There he attempted to rape her.”

Chris stared at the older man. “Did he?” she asked with dread.

“No,” replied Actor.

“And where is this Jaeger now?” Chris needed to know the man had been dealt with.

“He’s dead,” said Actor. Chris looked at him to make sure. He eyed her back with defensive defiance. “He is dead,” Actor said firmly.

“Good!” The younger sister fixed accusing eyes on her older brother. “Actor, would you please let me speak with Craig in private?”

“Of course,” replied the Italian. He quietly let himself out of the room.

Once the door closed, Christine started. “What did you do to Terry?”

“Nothing!” exploded Garrison. “She won’t talk to me. She won’t let me help her. Damn it I don’t know what to do!” The last was said in frustration as Craig turned away, running his hand through his hair in agitation.

“Did you think to tell her it wasn’t her fault?” asked Chris.

“Fault? I don’t know who’s fault it is! Terry isn’t saying. Actor doesn’t know. I don’t know if it’s Actor’s fault for not watching her or Terry’s fault for flirting with the guy.”

“Oh for God’s sake, Craig!” Christine was livid. “Do you really think women go around asking to be raped? And after the hell you put Terry and I through over Jake and Nick do you think Terry’s going to flirt with some strange German at a party? The only person Terry flirts with is Actor and that’s only because it’s part of their con and she feels safe with him. Or at least she did feel safe with him. If you’re acting accusingly toward her then no wonder she won’t talk to you! She is your sister, remember?”

“I know she’s my sister!” Craig was pacing now in frustration. “I was in charge. I was supposed to make sure she was safe.”

“Were you even there with them?” asked Chris.

“No,” admitted Craig. “Casino, Goniff and I had already left the party. Terry was confident in Actor’s ability. He was getting good information. They seemed all right, so I let them run their end of the caper.”

“Which was probably what you should have done.” Crystal’s voice was calmer and quieter. She could see Craig was indeed worried about Terry. “Until Terry tells us what happened, quit trying to lay blame on the three of you. In something like this it may just be it’s not your fault or Actor’s fault or even Terry’s fault.”

Craig nodded silently and went to stare, unseeing, out the window.

Christine needed to do something to occupy her while she tried to digest this. “I’ll make breakfast, then you guys can sleep.” She turned and went into the kitchen. 

Breakfast was mostly a silent affair, the only talking was to ask for something to be passed. Craig concentrated on his plate. Chief did the same with a couple furtive glances at Christine’s closed face. Casino and Goniff were dead quiet, quite unusual for them. And Actor just picked at his food, only eating a bite or two, and seeming to be lost in unpleasant thoughts. After breakfast, the men straggled up to their rooms with the exception of Chief. 

The young Indian hesitated at the door to the kitchen. Chris looked up at him with curiosity.

“You want help with those?” offered Chief.

Chris nodded. As he moved around behind her and picked up a towel, she asked, “Would you tell me what happened? How did it happen?”

“We ain’t quite sure how it happened, but I can tell you what Actor told me and what I saw. Ain’t pretty.”

“Neither is Terry right now,” said Chris. “Chief, if I’m going to be able to help her, I need to know.”

Chief proceeded to tell her the details he had been told by Actor and the events he had been witness to. He omitted the horrible things he had done to the body. Nobody needed to know that. It had been rage, and old-fashioned Apache vengeance. He figured Actor knew exactly what he had done and there had been no recriminations from the Italian. That didn’t surprise him too much after what he had seen the con man do. Chief could not remember ever seeing Actor that mad before. He knew the man was strong, but Jaeger was no lightweight. Actor had literally picked the bastard off of Terry and thrown him. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, had pulled out that little peashooter he was carrying and shot the man dead. There was a hellova lot more to Actor than he ever let anybody know.

By the time he was done with his story, they had finished the dishes. Chief was leaning against the back of a chair, facing Chris, who was leaning back against the sink. They were very close. Chris straightened and stepped closer. Chief watched her warily.  
“I thank you for saving my sister.” She stretched up and placed a light kiss on his cheek. “You’re a good man, Chief.”

“If you knew more about me, you wouldn’t think that,” he said quietly back to her.

“I doubt that very much,” she smiled. “I know what you went to prison for. I know how nice you’ve been to me. And I know that Terry trusts you. The last two are all I need to know.” Christine also was aware of the man’s aversion to being touched. Maybe to show him that all touch wasn’t bad, she kissed him again and stepped back.

Chief watched her walk away. He reached a finger up to touch where he could still feel her soft lips against his cheek. She was the first white woman in a long time to accept him regardless of his heritage. It was awkward because she was also the Warden’s sister. He waited until she had gone upstairs before he left the kitchen.

Actor was the first of the cons to awaken. He could not seem to rest. Guilt and recrimination hounded him. Teresa had been with him. He should have been taking care of her. After getting dressed, he headed for the stairs, but paused at the open door to Terry’s room and looked in. She was asleep, curled on her right side. He wished to approach her, touch her, make sure she was all right. He was afraid he would frighten her if he tried. Chris got up from her chair and went to the con man.

“How is she?” asked Actor, the mask of indifference not quite in place.

“She hasn’t woke up yet.” Chris looked up at the big man. “Are you all right?” she asked softly.

“Of course,” came the covering smile.

“Yes, I can see that,” said Chris gently. “What happened?” She wanted his version.

Actor shook his head. “I lost track of her,” he said with self recrimination in his voice. “By the time Chief and I located her it was almost too late. I should never have allowed this to happen to her.”

Chris watched him. She gave him a mental nudge. “What were you doing? Chasing a skirt?”

“No!” The answer was sharp and indignant. Then realizing that was what would be expected of him, he repeated in a quieter tone. “No.”

“Then you were probably doing your job,” persisted Chris. “Sounds like you didn’t allow it to happen – you stopped it from happening.”

“I should never have allowed it to proceed that far,” said Actor bitterly.

“You aren’t responsible for what my sister does,” said Chris patiently. “Terry is a very independent person. She doesn’t take to being looked after.” She reached a hand out to touch his forearm. “I would say you did very good getting to her when you did.”

Terry stirred. Actor pulled his arm back, turned, and went down the stairs. Chris watched his back disappear. It looked like this was another one she was going to have to referee.

Craig glanced up from the papers on his desk to see Actor going past his door. Worrying about Terry had kept him from getting much of any rest. And the phone call he had received wasn’t helping any.

“Actor,” he called.

The con man returned to the doorway. “Yes, Lieutenant?”

“We have to go to London. G-2 wants both of us. They’re going to want to pick everything you heard out of your brain.”

“Understandable.” And unpleasant, thought the confidence man.

“Pack a kit,” said Craig with resignation. “This is probably going to be a long one. We may stay in London tonight.”

That was unexpected. “When do we leave?”

“A half hour.”

With a sigh of resignation, the Italian turned and retraced his steps back up to his room.

GGGGG

Craig drove the Packard through the gray, dismal countryside. Winter reflected his somber mood. He was wearing his formal uniform with the Eisenhower jacket. The cap was on the backseat. Beside him, Actor sat, stiffly and silently. He had chosen a dark suit with vest and tie. Formal, but not festive. He could have been a businessman from a bank.

Actor was the first to speak. His wording was slower and careful. “Lieutenant? How do you wish us to address the . . . incident . . . involving Teresa? It could bring up some details that might better be left untouched.”

“I’d like to leave Terry out of it completely,” replied Craig. He shot a worried glance at his second. “Just what kind of details are you referring to?”

Actor was sucking on his cheeks as he did when concentrating. “First, there is the matter of the - condition – of the body when Chief disposed of it. I did not ask him directly, but I believe some of the – body parts – may not have been attached to the body at the time of disposal.”

Oh, the con man did have a way of delicately wording things. “I can see where that might bring an adverse reaction from the Brass regarding Chief.” The way Garrison intoned the words projected his approval of the said act. After all, it was his younger sister who had been assaulted. Out of the corner of his eye, Craig saw Actor nodding. “Anything else, I need to know about?” Garrison asked casually.

Actor continued to nod. “There is the issue of the bullet wound to the forehead, which in itself should not be problematic. However, there was no evidence of a weapon within reach of the major.”

That got Craig’s attention. Hmm, calculated murder or act of passion? The con man rarely did things without thinking them through first, however, this was Terry and right now the Italian was not fully back to his normal form. Therefore, an act of passion. 

“Yes,” said Garrison as if mulling the notion. “I am sure there would be some officers who would not look kindly on that. It might reflect badly on you. And it might reflect badly on me as your leader.” He went silent, thinking about how to circumvent that problem. After a bit he said, “And I’m also sure some kind-hearted soul would have to give his condolences to General Garrison. If Terry wants Dad to know about this, I think it’s her prerogative to tell him. And of course, they would drag Terry’s name through the dirt. It would definitely reflect badly on Terry’s reputation. That’s been questionable as it is, what with her living in the same house with the five of us.”

“I believe Teresa has been through enough without that,” suggested Actor.

“I agree with you there,” said Craig. “Let’s just say Terry was with you as your escort during the party and leave it at that.”

“It would not be a fabrication,” confirmed the con man.

The two men turned their heads and looked at each other. Identical crooked and conspiring grins appeared on their faces.

Actor had been in the G-2 building on two other occasions under similar circumstances, so he knew what to expect. He stood beside and a step back from the Lieutenant when they checked in. Garrison handed him a badge and led the way to the elevator. The con man projected an unconcerned appearance, for all the world looking like he was just going to attend a business meeting. Well, it was a meeting, and this was business.

They rode up to the third floor and walked down to the conference room. Colonel Hammond took Garrison to his office, leaving Major Johns with Actor. Johns, a short man with a sharp mustache, hated the cons and Actor in particular. The con man’s superior attitude rubbed the officer in totally the wrong way. Actor was aware of that and took an inner delight in perpetuating it.

The tall Italian followed the shorter man with an air of following an underling. They went into Johns’ office. Actor took a seat in a stuffed leather chair, crossed his long legs and smiled benignly. The major tried to hide his irritation that the convict would walk in and make himself at home in the most comfortable chair instead of one of the wooden ones that befitted a man of his status. It further infuriated the man when Actor removed a pipe from his jacket pocket and gestured if it was permissible for him to smoke. The major gave a curt nod. He gathered his papers together at his desk, watching the Italian going through the slow, calm ritual of packing and lighting the pipe.

After the first two puffs, Actor smiled at the officer and asked, “And where do you wish to begin, Major?”

GGGGG

Terry came awake slowly. She wasn’t sure which hurt more, the side of her head or her chest. At least she was safe in her own bed. Her eyes opened to focus on her sister sitting on a chair beside her.

“How do you feel?” asked Christine conversationally.

“Like something akin to road kill,” replied Terry.

She levered herself around to sit up. There was no dizziness, but her brain felt like it wasn’t quite attached to her body. She shivered as the memory of what had happened flashed immediately into her mind.

“I have to take a shower,” said Terry with distaste.

“No, you don’t,” replied Chris, just as casually as before. “You just took one. You can’t wash it off, Terr. Besides, there’s water rationing, remember? If you get too stinky, we’ll just turn the hose on you.”

“Thank you. You’re such a comfort, Sister.”

Christine clasped her hands in her lap. “I think you owe those men an apology,” she broached.

Terry eyed her with a frown.

“Especially Actor and Chief,” her sister continued. When Terry didn’t say anything, Chris went on. “Actor saved you from the unspeakable, shall we say? And you won’t let him touch you or talk to you. I think – he thinks – you think it’s his fault.”

Terry stared at her sister at that remark. Her brain was too sore for that kind of sentence. “Of course it’s not his fault,” she said.

“Then why have you turned on him?”

Terry’s eyes unfocused as she recalled the scene with a shudder. “You didn’t see the look on his face. He scared the hell out of me.” There was fear in her voice.

“He just killed a man for you. You think he’s going to turn around and smile at you?”

“Of course not. It’s just . . . sometimes he gets angry and he has that sneer and his eyes bug out. He scares me,” she confessed.

Chris shook her head. “I think you’ve more than paid him back for that one. Do you really think that man would hurt you?”

“No,” admitted Terry. 

Now that she was safely back at the Mansion, she could begin to think and not just react. She realized as angry as Actor might become, he would never harm her. The con man seemed to have the old-fashioned notion that women were to be protected . . . whether they needed it or not. Up until now, she had been confident she could take care of herself. Boy had she been wrong.

“I spoke with Chief and got a little more of the story,” Christine continued. “Actor was – worried - when he couldn’t find you. Chief found your clutch outside. They were searching for you on the grounds. There were three buildings. The first two were locked from the outside. Chief saw a sliver of light from the third building and signaled Actor. Actor got there first. He picked that man up bodily and threw him, then he shot him.”

Terry’s forehead scrunched as she struggled to remember. “Actor was carrying a .22 derringer. Is that what he shot him with?”

“Apparently,” said Chris. “Chief said it was a tiny gun and didn’t make much noise when it fired. Man must be a damned good shot. Derringers are worthless except at point blank range. Oh, and don’t worry about your state of – uh – dress. Chief didn’t see anything. Actor was shielding you and covered you up. He and Craig are the only ones who saw you.”

Terry dwelt on that a moment. She remembered Actor gently pulling the torn bodice of her dress together over her and smoothing the skirt down to her knees. His face wore an angry expression when he yanked his jacket off, but his touch had been careful as he laid it over her. No, Actor had not been angry with her.

“You’re right. I need to talk to Actor.” Terry looked guiltily at Chris. “Can you get him to come up here?”

“No,” said Chris. “He’s not here.” Terry shot her a startled worried look. “He and Craig went to G-2 in London. They wanted to debrief Actor too.” Chris laid a hand on Terry’s knee. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

Terry nodded and slowly began her story. By the end, though horrified at what had happened and what might have happened, Christine thought she understood what all three of the people involved were thinking.

A sudden crash interrupted their conversation. The sounds of a brawl could be heard from downstairs.

“Casino and Chief,” said Terry with grim certainty. She started to get up, but Chris stopped her with a hand on the shoulder.

“I’ll get it,” she said. “It’s my turn.”

Chris bounded down the stairs and stopped abruptly to stare into the common room. Casino and Chief were trading punches. The game table was overturned as were some of the chairs and broken glass littered the floor. Goniff was standing atop one of the ottomans, watching the debacle.

“All right that’s enough!” said Christine, loudly and firmly. She might have been talking to the wall for the all the attention she was paid. “I said that’s enough!” A vase flew past her and crashed in the dining room. “Terry, what’s the number for the MPs?” she shouted.

A couple moments later, Terry appeared at the top of the stairs in her pajamas. She hung onto the railing and came partway down the steps to where she could see the ruckus.

“All right you two, that’s enough,” she said loudly and firmly. That had no more effect then Christine’s yell. “Knock it off!” screamed Terry. She grabbed her head and groaned at the pain that went through her brain.

Chief and Casino froze, fists in the air, and turned their heads to look at the older girl. Terry’s one working eye was glaring at them. They lowered their fists and Casino straightened, giving a hand up to Chief. There was silence in the room.

In a quiet no nonsense voice, Terry said, “Clean this place up. Chris, the telephone number for the MPs is in the top left drawer of Craig’s desk. If they start up again, use it. I’m going back to bed.” She turned and went back up the stairs. The men did not see the grin on her face.

Casino and Chief exchanged looks and righted the game table. Goniff hopped off the ottoman and skirted the two men to walk up and take Christine’s elbow. He turned her around and guided her toward the kitchen, stepping over broken glass.

“Come on, Chris Love,” he said soothingly. “They’re just on edge like we all are. Now ‘ow about you and I go make Terry a nice cuppa to settle her down?”

“Terry doesn’t like tea,” said Chris dubiously.

Goniff grinned. “She does if you put ‘nough sugar and a spot o’ lemon in it.”

Chris took a seat at the kitchen table to watch Goniff get down the little container of tea and begin his ritualistic process of brewing a ‘cuppa.’ “What started that?” she asked him in a low voice.

Goniff concentrated on what he was doing. “Casino said somethin’ about it bein’ Actor’s fault an’ all that Terry got in trouble. Chiefy never said a word, just lit into Casino.”

“Do you think it’s Actor’s fault?” asked Chris.

Goniff shrugged. “Don’t know. I weren’t there.” He paused a minute. “I doubt it. Ole Actor seems to ‘ave made ‘isself Terry’s guardian or something. Can’t see ‘im lettin’ somethin’ like that ‘appen if ‘e knew ‘bout it ahead o’ time.” 

“What about Craig?” asked Chris. She wanted to feel out the Englishman’s perception of her brother’s frame of mind.

“Wot, the Warden? Oh, he’s mad all right,” said Goniff.

“At who? Actor, Chief . . . Terry?” persisted Chris.

“I don’t know. ‘E’s just mad.” Goniff turned to look at the younger sister. “’Ow could ‘e be mad at Terry? Weren’t ‘er fault. Don’t know any woman what would bring that down on ‘erself.” He turned back to his tea. “’E’s probably mad at ‘isself. You know the Warden thinks ‘e’s responsible for anything what goes wrong.” 

That was true realized Christine, but it was also true Craig tended to blame Terry for things she really wasn’t responsible for. She hadn’t realized she was frowning until she looked up into Goniff’s gamin face.

“’Ere now, Love. Don’t you be gettin’ yourself all worked up. It’s going to be all right.”

Chris smiled at the blond man and stood up. She reached out and pulled the Englishman to her in a hug. He patted her lightly if not a little awkwardly on the back.

“I’m sure you’re right, Goniff.”

“’Course I am, Chris Love. You’ll see. Terry’s strong. She’ll bounce back. And ole Actor is getting’ back to ‘is self. It just takes some time.”

Chris hoped there would be enough time before there was another mission.

Casino and Chief continued to pick up after their fight. The safecracker righted a high-backed chair and stopped to lean crossed arms on it. He looked at Chief. “You sure that asshole didn’t rape her?” There was a need for reassurance in his voice.   
Chief dropped into another chair. “Actor said the guy didn’t get her.”

Casino nodded. “That’s good. I mean, that’s the worst thing a guy could do to a woman. And Terry’s too nice to deserve anything like that.”

“No woman deserves that,” said Chief firmly.

Casino’s expressive face crunched up. “You think she’s gonna be all right? In her head, I mean?”

“Hope so,” said Chief. “She’s strong. She’s got family to back her.”

“She’s got us,” said Casino with certainty.

Chief shrugged ruefully, “Don’t know if that’s such a comforting thought to her.”

“Aw hell,” argued Casino. “She knows we like her. And she likes us.” He looked puzzled. “Not sure why.”

Chief grinned. “Because she’s Terry.”

“I guess.”


	7. Chapter 7

The two men wearily, but rapidly, exited the military headquarters. Garrison was in no mood and did not have the energy for the over two-hour drive back to the mansion in the blackout. He glanced at Actor. Once away from the scrutiny in the building, the man allowed himself the luxury of looking drained. Craig wondered how fully recovered the con man really was.

“Mind staying in London?” asked Craig.

“Not at all,” replied Actor hiding his relief. He was not up for a two-hour drive either but would never have uttered that fact. His head was pounding and the stress from playing the cat and mouse game with Johns had worn him down when his reserves were already low.

“I asked before we left. The only place they have to put us up is the base on cots.”

Actor eyed him with a look telling him how little he thought of that idea. “If I may suggest, I would be delighted to pay for a room for us at the Savoy,” offered the con man.

Craig would have enjoyed that, but pride and military protocol prevented him from accepting. “Actor, I thank you for the offer, but I can’t accept.”

Actor sighed, knowing he was going to be turned down. “I understand. I was not meaning any insult, Lieutenant.”

“Didn’t take it you were,” said Craig. “I do have another idea though. I just need to make a phone call.” He stepped over to a red kiosk and closed himself inside. Putting what he knew by heart was the correct amount in coins into the slot, he dialed the operator and asked for the call to be put through. Then, he waited while it rang and rang on the other end.

Chris hung over the banister and grabbed the phone. “Mansion Bed and Breakfast,” she said with half awake sarcasm.

“Chris, is your flat available?”

“Yeah,” she came awake. “You all right?”

“Fine, tired. Uh, do you mind if I take Actor there?”

“Of course not, you idiot. What were you going to do? Leave him on the curb?”

The three beeps sounded, cutting off the call. 

“What’s wrong?” asked Terry appearing at the top of the stairs.

Chris dropped the receiver back onto the cradle. “Nothing. Craig is being an imbecile. He wanted to know if it was okay to take Actor to my flat.”

“Why? What was he going to do, leave him on the curb?” Terry had not heard the conversation.

Chris looked at her sister and laughed.

Craig emerged from the kiosk with a smile. The con man was standing at the curb, watching him inscrutably. Well, Christine’s flat wasn’t the Savoy, but it was comfortable, quiet, usually stocked with food, and free. Garrison cocked his head at Actor and the Italian followed him to the car.

“I trust you have procured accommodations,” said Actor after they and both settled in the car.

“Nice, quiet, empty flat,” said Craig as he pulled away from the curb.

The two men sat in the dark silence as Craig navigated the empty streets. He got the impression Actor was exhausted, though the man never said anything to that effect.

“Johns had you longer than Hammond had me,” broached Garrison.

“Yes,” replied Actor. “I believe I have had less intense grilling from the Gestapo. Of course, this session was without the physical persuasion.”

“He really does not like our group,” chuckled Craig.

“No, he does not,” agreed the Italian. “I believe he feels he is superior to us.”

“I’ve seen you treat him like a servant,” Garrison observed with humor.

Craig could not see the small self-satisfied smile that came to Actor’s face, but he could hear it in the voice. “One must obtain one’s little pleasures in life as one is able.”

Garrison let out a guffaw of laughter. He might be restrained in his response to his superiors, but his men refused to be, so he had to live vicariously through them. Sometimes he found it hard to reprimand them as they were usually right in their assessment of the officers. Craig wound his way through the darkened streets until he reached the fairly middle-class neighborhood. He found a parking space a couple houses down from Christine’s flat and led the way to the empty apartment.

After closing the door behind Actor, Craig flipped on a light in the living room. He watched Actor take a quick look around. The living space was roomy with comfortable furniture and low wooden tables. Built in bookcases around the fireplace held scattered assortments of books and knick-knacks, one shelf devoted to glass unicorns. The dull and scratched wooden floor had seen better days, but there were bright rag rugs in front of the chairs and colorful floral pillows on the couch and the bigger chairs.

“Bathroom’s at the end of the hall,” said Craig. “Take your pick of either bedroom on the left. I’ll stay in Chris’s room.”

The con man nodded and carried his kit down the hall. Craig let himself into the bedroom on the right. Both men were out as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

The mingled smell of coffee and bacon pleasantly brought Craig to wakefulness. He yawned and stretched, turning his head to look at the clock on the nightstand. It was almost ten o’clock. He threw the covers back and sat up, reaching for his clothes. A few minutes later, he made his way to the kitchen.

Actor was standing at the stove tending the bacon. He wore his pants from the last evening and the white shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Incongruous to the fastidious man was Crystal’s ruffled apron hanging from his neck and ending well above his knees. Craig had to stifle a laugh that he knew would not be appreciated. Garrison retrieved a mug from the cupboard and held it out as the con man turned with a pot of coffee and filled the cup. 

“I assumed both of us could stand a decent breakfast this morning,” remarked Actor, returning his attention to his cooking.

Garrison peered around him. On the counter were two plates with circles of toast, a glass mixing bowl with egg yolks, four more whole eggs, and a measuring cup with what looked like lemon juice. Besides the frying pan with bacon, there were two pots of gently boiling water on the back burners and a small pan of melted butter.

“Okay, what are you concocting?” asked Craig.

“A bastardized version of Eggs Benedict,” replied the Italian haughtily.

“You cook?” questioned Garrison in surprise.

“At times,” replied Actor. “If I feel like it, or it is a special occasion. And I would appreciate it if you did not inform Teresa of my abilities. She will want me to cook all the time.”

Eggs friggin’ Benedict? Heck, Craig wouldn’t care if the confidence man cooked all the time. “May I watch?”

“Be my guest,” was the reply.

The crisp bacon was removed, and the frying pan set aside on a trivet to cool. The bacon was broken up and arranged artistically on the toast. One of the pots of water was transferred to the hot burner where the bacon had been. The mixing bowl of egg yolks was set atop it and the lemon juice added to the bowl. Actor whipped it with a wire whisk expertly and when it was creamy, added the melted butter in a stream while continuing to whip. A thick and perfect sauce developed. This was set aside. A bit of vinegar was added to the other pot of boiling water. One at a time, the remaining eggs were broken into a dish and slipped carefully into the vinegar water. When set to the cook’s satisfaction, they were removed with a slotted spoon and gently laid atop the bacon. The hollandaise sauce was spooned over the top. Slices of orange were then arrayed around the edge of the plates.

Craig followed his second as Actor took the plates out to the dining area and set them on the table, before returning to the kitchen to remove the apron and retrieve his cup of coffee. The two men sat facing each other and started eating in silence. Garrison was suitably impressed with the meal, but uncomfortable with lavishly complimenting the con man so all he said was ‘good’.

Actor nodded in acceptance. He frowned. “Lieutenant, I wish to ask an indelicate question if I may.”

“Go ahead,” said Craig around a bite of food.

“This is a three-bedroom apartment. How can Christine afford the rent on it? And how does she get around the billeting board?”

“Chris is sharing the apartment with Kelly, Dirk and Tinker. Apparently all four are in and out when they aren’t over on the Continent doing whatever it is they do. They split the rent and Chris reports she has boarders.”

Actor was confused by the man’s seeming acceptance of his baby sister’s living arrangements. “Are you not concerned with Christine’s reputation, living with three other men?”

Craig pulled a face, “Well, Actor, it’s a little like shutting the barn door after the horse has gotten out. She had this set up long before we found her in France. It’s a little late to do anything about it now.”

Actor wondered why there was a seeming double standard for the sisters. Garrison had not brought up the subject lately, but he was sure the lieutenant still thought he had slept with Teresa. He was also pretty sure Garrison was still worrying Teresa about it even though they had both assured the older brother they had not indulged in the said activity.

Now Teresa had been assaulted and Actor was to blame. He found the delicious egg dish had suddenly lost its appeal. “It was my fault,” said Actor softly. His hand suddenly flew up in an Italian gesture and his voice became loud with self-condemnation, “Dio, it was my fault!” 

Garrison looked up at him, knowing instantly what the con man was referring to. “How?”

“I should have paid more attention to where she was, what she was doing,” said Actor with self recrimination. “I assumed she was doing fine on her own. She stayed with me most of the evening.”

“You didn’t see her with this Jaeger guy?” questioned Craig.

Actor shook his head.

“So you didn’t see her egging the man on?” said Craig sounding slightly accusatory toward his sister. 

The response was immediate and defensive. “Lieutenant! Teresa is not the type of woman to flaunt herself to a man! And I hope you realize rape is not about sex. It is about power.” Actor could tell by the expression on Garrison’s face the man did not understand the difference. “A rapist has an underlying insecurity. He uses the sexual act to force his power over another individual. Sexual desire has no bearing on it. Teresa was presenting herself as a young woman being ‘kept’ by an older, powerful officer. If anything, she was clinging to me half the night. To a rapist she would be an easy mark.”

“But wouldn’t he be afraid of the retaliation when he was discovered?” asked Garrison.

“No,” replied Actor. “Most women are afraid to identify their attackers for fear of their retaliation. Also, he had her far enough away from anyone that he could have killed her and escaped with no one the wiser.”

That knowledge hit Craig hard. Terry, the mouthy one, the one who took care of them; to be used savagely and then killed, and through no fault of her own. Where had he been remiss? He had to have been remiss. There had to be something he had not taught her. What had happened? Terry could fight better than some men. He knew that firsthand because he had taught her from the time they were old enough to swing at each other. The things he had learned in Europe when they were teens he had brought home and taught to her. He didn’t let Terry train with the men for a number of reasons. One of the minor ones was Terry knew some things he was sure none of his men knew. Well, Actor might be the exception to that. Garrison was still learning just what that man was capable of. 

It was a surprise to Garrison to discover the arrogant, haughty confidence man was capable of remorse. Maybe it was the remnants of the concussion or maybe they were just starting to see bits of the man behind the mask of indifference. Was there any blame to attach to Actor? He was Terry’s partner and they were supposed to watch out for each other. He seemed to know most of her nuances, meaning he would have been able to pick up on anything out of the ordinary. Did that mean Terry herself had been unaware of the danger? They would never know until the woman told them what had happened.

Craig looked at the Italian who had resumed eating his breakfast in an automated way that did not do justice to the fancy meal. “If she tells you the details, tell me,” said Craig without the tone of an order.

Actor laid his fork down. “She will not tell me. She is afraid of me.”

“I got news for you,” said Craig cynically. “She’s afraid of me too.” 

Actor looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Warden, if she tells me anything, I will tell you.”

Craig looked steadily back at the con man, “If she tells me, I will tell you and then maybe the two of us can figure out how to prevent this from happening ever again.” Craig picked at his egg with his fork. “Maybe it’s partly my fault, maybe it’s partly your fault, maybe it’s partly Terry’s fault.”

Actor was picking at his egg also. His voice was subdued. “Maybe no one was at fault. Possibly it was something none of us could foresee.”

“If that’s the case,” said Craig, “then we need to come up with a way to foresee this in the future.”

Actor did not miss the blatantly implied partnership the lieutenant was suggesting in watching out for Terry’s wellbeing. The acceptance gave him a little ease.

Craig took another bite of egg. “This is really very good, Actor.”

“Thank you, Warden,” Actor replied.

Craig set about finishing up his breakfast. “I think we need to get back.”

“Yes,” said Actor in full agreement, digging into his breakfast.

Craig got a half grin on his face. “If we both wash the dishes, we’ll get out of here faster.”

Actor paused and looked at the man. “That does sound like good strategy.”

The two men eyed each other and both grinned.


	8. Chapter 8

Chris had gone downstairs to start supper for the remaining five of them. Terry lay in bed thinking about the things Christine had told her and her own reaction to the men. She knew there wasn’t a man in this house who would do anything to hurt her. Not even Casino, and maybe especially Casino, if she was reading the signs right. She wasn’t ready to delve into that one. 

She felt horrible about how she had reacted to Actor. The man had been through hell in the past few weeks, he had rallied wonderfully, saved her life, and she had turned on him. Terry wanted so badly to talk to him, to apologize, to try to make it right with him, and now he was in London and probably would not be back until some ungodly time of the night.

Actor wasn’t there but Chief was and she could at least try to straighten things out with him. Terry got herself up and dressed, or partially dressed. It would be another day or two before she could stand to wear a brassiere. Her feet were slipped into fuzzy mules. Still a bit lightheaded and with a dull ache in her head, she made her way to the stairs.

Terry had eased herself partway down the stairs, hanging on to the banister for support, before Chief spotted her. He sprang to his feet, Casino and Goniff following suit. The Indian and the safecracker bounded up the stairs to halt in front and beside the pale woman. Terry looked at the uncertain expressions on their faces. She hooked an arm through Chief’s elbow and held out the other hand to Casino. Casino took her hand in his and gripped her elbow in support. The two men slowly helped her down the rest of the steps and to Actor’s chair. Goniff had placed a pillow from the sofa against the back for her and stood aside as the other two got her comfortably situated. Casino snatched the afghan from the sofa and gave it a snap to settle over her lap and legs.

“You need anything, Babe?” the safecracker asked.

“No, I’m fine, thank you,” said Terry.

Casino and Goniff turned back to the table and their poker game. As Chief turned to go, Terry caught his hand. He stopped and looked back at her in surprise.

“Stay and talk to me,” broached Terry.

“Okay,” replied the Indian, squatting down beside the chair  
.  
Terry sucked on her bottom lip a second, “Thank you for what you did back there.”

“I didn’t do much of nothin’,” protested Chief quietly.

“Yes, you did,” objected Terry. “If your sharp eyes hadn’t spotted that crack of light in the window, it would have taken you two longer to get to me and it might have been too late.”

“Actor got there first,” said Chief, uncomfortable being thanked.

“Yeah, but you pointed him in the right direction.” Chief shrugged and picked at a spot on the arm of the chair. Terry swallowed. “I’m sorry for being so unfriendly to you guys afterward.”

Chief looked up at her in surprise. “You got nothin’ to be sorry for. In the shape you were in, nobody expected you to be happy or nothin’.”

Terry shook her head, “I still shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” She pursed her mouth together. “Uh, can I still be Little Sister?” she asked slowly.

Chief grinned. “Don’t figure you ever stopped being Little Sister.”

Terry took a pinch of his shirt front in between her thumb and forefinger and pulled him closer. She bent forward and around to kiss his cheek, smiling with humor as the cheek turned red.

“Well that just figures!”

They all looked up at Casino. He was eyeing Chief with a mock sour expression on his face. Chief got up and moved away from Terry, eyes warily on the safecracker.

“What?” asked Terry, not having a clue what Casino was carrying on about this time.

Casino slouched sideways in his chair. “Geronimo gets a kiss for pointin’ his finger in the right direction and I get nothin’.”

Chief glared at the safecracker but didn’t say anything. He was not about to get in a fight with the man in front of Terry.

“You weren’t there,” Terry reminded him.

“No,” said Casino, eying her. “But who do yuh think it was carried yuh for a mile to the sub when yuh passed out on the trail?”

Terry frowned trying to remember. She realized she had no recollection of the events from the time she was on the trail until waking up in the infirmary.

“You carried me?” she asked.

“Oh, ‘e carried you,” chortled Goniff. “Like a ruddy sack of spuds slung over ‘is shoulder.”

“Hey, you ain’t no lightweight, Babe,” objected Casino.

Terry smiled sourly at the safecracker. “No wonder I have a headache.”

Chief had moved back to his window seat and sat watching Casino with disgust. Terry shook her head and beckoned Casino over. “Come here.”

“What for?” he replied.

“Don’t make me get up,” said Terry eyeing him narrowly out of her good eye.

Casino got slowly up and sauntered over to her chair. He stood looking down at her with his arms crossed. Terry beckoned him closer. He leaned over just barely in reach. Terry made a grab for a handful of shirt front and yanked him down. Casino had to throw a hand out and grab the arm of the chair to keep from falling on top of her. They ended up nose to nose. Terry gave a ladylike snort and turned her head to place a quick kiss on his cheek. She released his shirt, giving a tiny push. He straightened and looked down at her insolently.

“That’s it?”

Terry stared at him. “What more do you want?”

“A little bit more than that, Babe,” suggested Casino daringly.

“Don’t hold your breath,” shot back the woman with an overdone smile.

This brought laughter from Goniff and Chief, which in turn, brought Chris from the kitchen to see what was going on.

“How did you get down here?” asked the younger girl.

“Very carefully, with help,” replied Terry.

Chris grinned. “Dinner’s done. Want to eat in here tonight?” she suggested.

“Sure,” replied Casino going back to the table.

“It’ll be somethin’ different,” said Chief.

“Yeah,” added Goniff. “An’ Casino can’t interrupt the game then.”

Goniff should have known better. Throughout dinner, the safecracker kept stealing glances at Terry, comfortably ensconced in Actor’s chair and eating the stew Chris had made with the little ration of beef and root vegetables that had come from the army. Casino picked at his bowl with his spoon, his temper from earlier with Chief flaring up again at the sight of the bruised and swollen eye that graced Terry’s face.

“I wish that damned Italian would get back,” he finally burst forth.

Terry and Chris looked up at him in confusion. Chief set his bowl on the side table, anticipating another blow out.

“Casino,” wheedled Goniff. “Let it go. It isn’t gonna ‘elp anything and you’ll make Terry feel bad.” 

“What?” demanded Terry.

“He shouldn’ta let that guy get you,” persisted Casino.

“What?” squawked the girl.

“He didn’t even know about it!” yelled Chief, repeating himself from the earlier fight.

“Well he shoulda!” Casino flung back.

“Oh for Heaven’s sake, Casino!” Terry was angry now. “Do you have to pick a fight over everything? It’s me it happened to and I’m not blaming him. Just stay out of it!” 

She set the bowl of stew down hard on the side table, slopping some of it out. Terry levered herself out of the chair and stormed up the stairs.

Chris was on her feet also. “Casino do you always have to act like a jerk?”

“Hey, Lady,” objected the safecracker, “I was defending your sister.”

“No, you weren’t,” Chris shook her head. “You were just trying to start another fight as usual. I’m sure Actor feels bad enough about what happened without you giving him grief.”

“Oh, come on Chris,” Casino flung back at her, “Actor don’t care about anybody but Actor.”

“Funny, it seems to describe you to a tee more than it does him.” Chris picked up her bowl and went to retrieve Terry’s. She turned her back on the safecracker and stormed off to the kitchen.

Chief got up and followed her. Casino watched him go and rolled his eyes. Goniff went back to his food and tried to ignore the safecracker.

Christine looked up at the Indian’s entrance into the kitchen. She eyed him questioningly.

“Didn’t feel like fightin’ with him again,” said Chief with a shrug.

Chris’s mouth turned up in a small smile. “Want to dry again? This could turn into a habit.”

“I don’t mind,” replied Chief quietly, ducking his head.

“I appreciate the help,” said the girl.

Christine had to admit to herself she found the young man quite attractive. He was tall enough, strong and quiet. She just bet with a little work she could uncover a sense of humor under that stoicism. The fact that he took pleasure out of watching the deer went a long way with her. People who loved animals and nature couldn’t be too awfully bad.

“Is Rainey your name or another nickname?” Chris asked casually.

‘It’s my name,” he replied.

“It’s a nice name. It’s different, but it suits you.” She slipped another clean plate in the basin of rinse water. “Can I call you that in private?”

Chief picked up the plate and started drying it. He shot a quick glance at the girl. “I guess.” They worked in silence for a bit until Chief worked up the courage to ask her a question. “Your family calls you Crystal once in awhile. Why?”

Chris turned to him with a smile. “That’s a story. You see Ma was pregnant with me and there was this big snowstorm in April, and nobody could get out. Ma goes into labor and it’s a few weeks too soon. Dad wasn’t home of course. The midwife couldn’t get in and the medicine woman from the reservation didn’t know and couldn’t get in anyway. So, Ma had me without help. I was too small, so Ma made a crib for me out of a wooden box and set it close to the stove in the kitchen so I would stay warm. She told the kids they were not to touch me because I was too fragile, like her crystal in the china cupboard. The kids took to calling me Crystal. It stuck.”

“Your mother must be a strong woman,” remarked Chief.

Chris thought about it as she went back to washing the dishes. “Yes, I guess she is. She raised us kids and adopted Monty, ran the ranch without much help, and did everything a ranch wife has to do. The funny thing is she was born in France and raised in Rome.”

“How’d she get to Montana?” asked Chief getting into the story.

“She and some of the cousins were sent to America when they were in their teens kind of like we send our kids to Europe for a season. They didn’t care about the cities. They wanted to see the country and the Indians. They were told the Rockies in Montana looked like the Swiss Alps, so they came to see. Some people from what is now East Glacier took them on horseback into the mountains and they spent some time on the ranch. It was owned by our grandparents back then. Dad was home on leave from the army. I guess he and Ma fell in love. Ma never went back to Italy.”

“Bet her family wasn’t too happy,” grinned Chief.

“No,” laughed Chris, “but presenting her parents with a pile of grandkids helped somewhat.” 

Chief grinned. Chris could not help but grin back. Boy, he had a beautiful smile. She wondered how he was at kissing. Well, she had kissed him on the cheek twice today already. She had a sneaking suspicion she was going to have to do the initiating with the young man, but she would have to bide her time, or she’d scare him off. She didn’t think he was quite to the not scare off stage yet.

Casino had been born in that stage. Not much scared him, and if it did, he wouldn’t acknowledge it. What he did acknowledge to himself was his regret of his hot temper. He hated that Terry had been hurt like she had. Somebody had to be at fault and who better to blame than that damned arrogant Italian. Casino conveniently forgot he had just been supportive of the man prior to the mission. Now the safecracker knew his temper had gotten him on the wrong side of Terry from where he wanted to be. Hell, even Goniff wasn’t speaking to him right now.

Pushing his empty plate toward the pickpocket, Casino rose and headed for the stairs. He had just started up when he heard Goniff’s whining voice.

“Aw, come on, Mate. Leave ‘er alone.”

“I ain’t gonna do nothin’ to her,” Casino brushed him off.

The safecracker stopped at the open door to Terry’s room. She was sitting at her desk with her back to the door, elbow on the desktop and head resting on that fist. She had to have heard him come up, but she didn’t turn around.

“Hey, Babe,” he said.

Slowly she turned around in the seat. The face that looked back at him wore a stony countenance.

“Casino, I am not up for a fight with you,” she said tiredly.

“I wasn’t plannin’ on fightin’ with you,” he replied. He sat down on the end of her bed and watched her. “Sometimes, I get mad and I lose control.”

“Sometimes?” asked Terry. “Casino, you take offense at the least little thing. You don’t think first, you just fly off the handle. If you would just rein it in until you get all the facts, life would be so much easier for you and everybody else.”

He looked down at his hands in his lap. She was right, but that was him. That was the way he had always been. And why shouldn’t he get mad about this?

“But, damn it, this shouldn’t have happened to you!” he exploded.

“I wish it hadn’t,” she said back to him. “But it could have been a whole lot worse. I owe Actor and Chief for stopping it when they did.”

Casino still wasn’t happy with it. He studied a hangnail on his thumb, missing the calculating look the young woman sent his way. He did hear her gentler, almost pleading, voice.

“I appreciate your concern for me, but I wish you wouldn’t fight about it.”

“It’s just so hard when I can’t do nothing to fix it,” he admitted.

“Some things can’t be fixed,” said Terry. “And it doesn’t do any good to fight about it.”

Yeah, but it’s so satisfying, thought the safecracker. He guessed Terry didn’t appreciate that. She probably didn’t appreciate him either. 

“Casino, you are really a nice man . . . when you want to be. I wish more of that side of you would come out.”

Well, maybe she could appreciate him. He’d have to work on that. Yeah, like somebody like her would want to have anything to do with somebody like him. Still . . .

“I’ll try,” he looked defensively at her. “Ain’t gonna guarantee anything, but I’ll try.”

“I would like that,” said Terry.

Casino wasn’t sure where to go from there so he decided to leave her be. “Uh, you need anything I can get you?”

Terry gave a crooked grin. “A new head and an eye that can see? Other than that, nothing right now, thank you.”

“Well, if you think of anything, let me know.” Casino got awkwardly to his feet and stepped backwards toward the door.

“I will, Casino. Thank you.”

He nodded and left rather hurriedly, not comfortable and not knowing why.

GGGGG

It was after one o’clock in the afternoon by the time Garrison and Actor returned to the mansion. Christine met them at the door. Craig looked his usual self, but Actor still looked tired.

“How’s Terry?” asked Craig. The Italian watched the girl’s response.

“Getting better,” replied Christine. “She’s taking a nap right now. She sleeps a lot.”

Actor nodded, identifying with that. He followed Garrison upstairs to change into more comfortable clothing. Both men shot a glance at Terry’s closed bedroom door on the way past. Craig was back down first, going into his office to sort through the paperwork he knew had accumulated on his desk. He shut the door to drown out any distraction.

Actor came down in his dark pants and black shirt. He wanted only to sit in his chair, have a pipe and read the book he had forgotten to take with him.

“’Bout time you got back,” said Casino with that belligerent tone that boded trouble.

“Thank you for welcoming me back, Casino,” said Actor pleasantly. He kept on walking past the safecracker.

“Oh, I ain’t welcoming you,” said the con belligerently. “What I’d really like is to punch your lights out.”

Actor stopped and stiffened. He turned his head to glare at Casino with narrowed eyes.

“Why didn’t you protect her?” asked Casino loudly and accusingly. “It’s your fault she got hurt!”

To the surprise of the other two men in the room, Actor exploded. “Yes, Casino, it is my fault! You think I do not know that! It is not necessary for you to tell me that and I will not fight you over it! You are correct! Now leave me the hell alone!”

Chris had been in the library room and run to the door when she heard the argument start. She stared at the confidence man in shock. She had heard him swear on occasion in his native language, but never had she heard an English curse pass those Italian lips. She jumped out of the way as he strode to the library and shut the door firmly behind himself.

“Chris!” A faint yell could be heard from upstairs.

Craig had come to his door and was ready to nail the safecracker. “Casino . . .!”

Casino stepped back and raised his hands in indication of backing down. He pulled a chair out from the game table and sat down.

“Chris!” The yell came again with more urgent anger.

“Coming!” the younger girl called back. She scooted past her brother and ran up the stairs.

Craig gave Casino the Garrison glare and turned on his heels, striding back into his office, needing to calm down before he slugged the safecracker.

Chris entered Terry’s bedroom to find the girl sitting on the edge of her bed in her pajamas. She was obviously upset.

“I know that was Casino,” said Terry. “Was that Actor?”

“Yes,” admitted Chris. “It’s over. Casino is being quiet for the moment and Actor is shut up in the library.”

“Damn,” swore Terry. “Why can’t Casino control his mouth! It’s amazing he lived through stir. I’m surprised somebody didn’t knife him just to shut him up!”

“I think he likes you,” said Chris wryly.

“Yeah?” Terry was surprised her sister had picked up on that thought too. “Well, he isn’t making any brownie points with me.” Terry frowned. “Is Actor all right?”

“I wouldn’t say so,” replied Chris slowly remembering the outburst and the almost agonized expression on the man’s face.

Terry’s face was full of guilt. “Can you get him up here?”

“I can try,” said Chris. “I’m not sure he’s talking to anyone right now.”

“Try, please, Sis?” begged Terry. She slipped back under the covers. “I can’t go down there right now. I’m not strong enough yet, and I would probably try to take a swing at Casino.”

“You might have to stand in line for that one,” said Chris with a smirk. “I’ll go see if Actor will talk to me.”

The younger woman walked past the other three men in the common room without looking at them. She stopped in front of the library door and tapped on it with her knuckles. For a minute she thought the confidence man was not going to open the door. Slowly it did open, and he stood looking down at her, unsmiling.

“Could I talk with you in private a minute?” asked the girl quietly.

“Of course, Christine,” replied Actor. He stepped back and allowed her to enter. 

She pulled the door from his hand and closed it behind them. Chris looked up at him. He was so tall and broad shouldered and oozed so much strength and sensuality, it would be easy to be intimidated by him. In fact, she was. As if sensing this, he sat down on the corner of the library table. She came to stand in front of him.

“Could you go upstairs and talk to Terry?” Chris asked.

The closed look flowed up the man’s face. “Teresa does not wish to speak with me.”

Chris had watched the change in him. Though it wasn’t in his voice, she got the distinct impression that notion bothered him. She picked up his hand and held it between both of hers, refusing to let it go when he tried to gently pull back.

“Yes, she does.” She looked. “Terry’s - was afraid of you.”

“I am aware of that,” said Actor coolly. 

“She told me once before that when you lose your temper, your face changes and it is the only time she is scared of you. She said when you pulled that man off her and turned back to her, that expression was still on your face. She thought you were blaming her for what happened and that you were mad at her.”

Actor relaxed a bit. “I was never angry with Teresa. I was beside myself with rage at that man for what he was doing to her. I wanted to kill him. I did kill him.” He took a breath and looked at the younger sister before continuing. “I was – am angry with myself for allowing that to happen to her.”

That confession somehow did not surprise Chris. “Actor, you are not her babysitter. You saved her. At the very least he would have raped her and probably would have gone on and killed her. I told her you were not angry with her, but with that Jaeger person. I asked her if you had ever hurt her or threatened her.” She could see Actor taking offence at that and squeezed his hand. “She told me no. She also said no when I asked her if she thought you would harm her.” Chris held the con man’s hand tightly. “Terry also said Craig seemed very angry with her. She thinks he is blaming her for encouraging the man somehow.”

“He does not think that,” assured Actor. “You will have to trust me there.” 

“I would not have been surprised if he did blame her,” said Chris. 

Actor shook his head. “Like many people, the Lieutenant thought of rape as a sexual act brought on somehow by the person being raped. I explained to him it was a matter of a man,” the disgust was in his voice, “asserting power over a weaker individual to make himself feel in control. It is the conquering of a woman or a younger, less effectual man.”

“Man?” Christine’s eyes widened. “Stir?”

“It unfortunately happens,” said Actor.

The young girl stared up at him and very adamantly said, “I cannot even imagine any one of you would do something like that!”

“None of us would,” assured Actor. He paused a moment and with distaste said, “Someone like Wheeler might have.”

“That’s horrible,” said Chris with a shudder. Looking up at him and squeezing his hand, she pleaded, “Actor, please go talk to Terry. She really wants to see you.”

The con man capitulated. “All right, Christine, I will go speak with her.”

Chris dropped his hand and put her arms around him, giving a quick tight squeeze before releasing him. “Thank you, Actor.”

The Italian had to smile. The Garrison girls were a demonstrative pair. If he was not careful, he might get used to being hugged.

There was not a word spoken in the common room as the con man escorted Christine from the library and left her in front of Garrison’s office to slowly make his way upstairs. Chris watched him a moment before letting herself into her brother’s office. She closed the door and walked up to look down at Craig challengingly. “We need to talk.”

Craig looked at her in interest. Chris was the quiet, meek one. Somehow this was changing. “Okay, talk.”

“Terry needs Actor right now.” At the sour look on her brother’s face, she continued quickly. “It’s not love or infatuation. It’s security. He got to her first. He stopped it from happening. He was the old Actor and then some. Terry says she remembers he was enraged. It scared her at first. I think she needs to lean on his strength. She still trusts him.”

“She had or is having an affair with him,” objected Garrison.

“Only in your mind!” replied Chris angrily. “You’re so quick to think badly of her because of Jake. That’s why she didn’t turn to you. And she’s afraid to turn to him because she’s afraid of what you’ll do to him. You listen to me, Craig Garrison, the morning after that night in London, I asked her if they had slept together. She told me no. He was a perfect gentleman. I believe her. I believe her when she says there is nothing going on between them now. And aren’t you being a tad hypocritical, Brother? I believe her name is Jenny isn’t it?”

Garrison’s eyes shot to her face in shock.

“Oh, I know,” said Chris. “I haven’t told anyone else.”

“How did you find out?” asked Craig.

“By accident. I saw you two in a bookstore a couple months ago. So, I followed you. You’ve been staying with her on those overnight meetings in London that get out at two o’clock in the afternoon. You can’t tell me you’re not sleeping with her. Does that make her the slut you’ve made Terry out to be because she was sleeping with Jake? Or is that one of your double standards?”

Craig leaned back in his chair and mulled it over, still in shock. He thought they had been so careful. Apparently not careful enough. And now he saw what he had refused to see in the past. Yes, he and his partner for the Norway missions were having a relationship. It was more than an affair. He could understand now that Terry and Jake had been doing the same thing, only they had the guts to be more open about it than he was with Jenny. Granted there would be severe repercussions if the army found out about it, but he had also worked hard to keep it from his family. There was no way he would consider his sweet, loving Jenny in the same light as he had been treating Terry. That thought was like a kick to the stomach.

Her point made, Chris quietly let herself out of the office and left her brother to his contemplation. 

GGGGG

Terry watched the tall Italian pause at the open door to her bedroom. The mask he presented to the world was being presented to her and she could not help but believe she deserved it. Her fingers beckoned him to come in. As he slowly walked forward, Terry patted the bed next to her. Actor stopped beside the bed for a moment before lowering a haunch beside her. Even sitting down, he towered above her, and she suppressed a shiver as she remembered the brute strength in those arms and shoulders that had saved her from Jaeger. Terry scooted herself back and sat up in the bed. Biting her lip, she looked up into his face. His expression was closed as they exchanged looks. Terry frowned in remorse.

Voice soft, she spoke, “You were my knight in shining armor . . . and I kicked you in the culo. That was the last thing you deserved from me. I am so sorry, Actor.”

Terry watched him as he looked away, his jaw working as he tried to frame a response.

His words came slowly. “You had just been traumatized. You were afraid of all men . . . except Goniff.”

Terry raised her unswollen eyebrow. “Kinda hard to be afraid of Goniff. He’s such a sweet little goof.”

That description of the gamin Englishman coaxed a brief chuckle from Actor. He sobered and looked into her one open eye. “Teresa, you are afraid of me. Christine told me you have been afraid of me more than once in the past.”

Terry frowned guiltily. “Actor, you very rarely lose your temper completely. When you do, you are very – impressive.”

“Dio, cara!” He looked away in frustration and swung his eyes back to her face. “You must know I would never harm you. I do not hit women and I most certainly would never strike you.” 

Terry nodded, chewing on her lips. “My head knows that. And I think my heart knows that . . . when my brain is working. I have been accused and blamed for a lot of things over the past couple years. It was just automatic for me to assume that you were blaming me for what happened.”

“No,” denied Actor. “I never blamed you. I blame myself for not taking better care of you.”

“You were doing what you were supposed to be doing. And looking after me was not part of that job.” Now she had the courage to lay a hand atop his on the bed. “Not for one second did I ever blame you for what happened.”

“You were staying closer than your usual practice. I thought you did not trust me, and you were watching me.”

Terry gave a crooked smile. “I trusted you. From the time you walked out of the bedroom at the safe house, I knew you were going to be just fine.”

“Which means I misinterpreted your concerns.” There was frustration in his voice.

Terry laughed. “Caro, aren’t you the one who told Goniff one time you never try to understand women? We are emotional, fickle, and stronger than you want to give us credit for . . . usually.”

“Yes, perhaps, but I should have realized something was wrong by the way you were acting. I did not recognize it.”

“I think you’re still trying to remember me completely. Your chimes were rung pretty hard there. We just have to get back on the same wavelength again. And we will.” Terry cocked her head and studied Actor’s face. “You’re still having the headaches, aren’t you? And don’t lie to me.”

The con man eyed her back and then gave a seemingly unconcerned shrug. “They come back occasionally. Not as often and not a severe. They are of no consequence.”

Terry did not pursue it, used to the same type of response from her brother.

Actor eyed the bruised swelling on Teresa’s face with concern. He tentatively reached a hand up to brush the hair back but stopped. Terry turned her head and leaned closer to him, inviting his examination. The big fingers gently smoothed the hair out of the way so he could see the wound.

“It looks better. It should not leave a scar.”

Terry eased back and reached up to turn Actor’s head away with a finger on his chin. She studied the thin jagged scar on his temple. “That’s already starting to lighten up. A couple months and you’ll have to look hard to find it.”

“It has ruined me, cara,” said Actor in disgust.

Terry stifled a grin. She cupped his chin and turned his head from side to side, studying the effect. “No. Actually, it’s fine. If you didn’t have the women falling all over you before, you will now.”

“Teresa, you are making fun of me,” said Actor miffed.

“No, I’m not.” She denied. She looked at the scar again. “It’s actually kinda . . . dashing.”

“Dashing?” said Actor in disbelief. “Now I know you are making fun of me.”

She shook her head. “I think it’s romantic. Gives you that roguish Errol Flynn look”

“Teresa!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, caro!” she said in exasperation. “It’s going to lighten up over time,” she assured him.

“Dashing?” Actor said incredulously.

“Definitely.”

Actor’s eyes narrowed. “You are a marmocchia.”

“And you are so vain,” she shot back at him.

They both glared at each other and then both started to laugh. Terry reached her right arm up to go around his neck while her left arm went partway around his chest. She pulled them together and tucked the uninjured half of her face under his chin.

Dio, these Garrison girls loved to hug thought the con man in amusement. He put his arms carefully around her remembering the bruised chest and allowed her to snuggle closer. His amusement turned to concern as he felt her stiffen and her fingers dig into handfuls of his shirt. Her shoulders still shook, but no longer with laughter. He felt the hot wetness soaking thorough his shirt front. He tightened his arms around her.

“I’m sorry,” came a tiny wobbly soggy voice.

“Hush, cara,” Actor said softly. “It is all right. Let it out.” 

He rocked her gently and allowed her to sob into his chest. The sobbing became harder. Actor spoke softly to her in soothing words of Italian.

Craig mounted the stairs intent on seeing if his sister would allow him to approach her now. Any anger with her had been long buried thanks to Actor’s explanation, or so he thought. The door to the girl’s room was open. Garrison stepped inside and stopped short, staring at the sight of his pajama clad sister in his second’s embrace. A reflexive flash of anger shot through him until he stepped forward and realized Terry was crying. Terry never cried. The movement caught in the corner of his eye caused the con man to turn his head toward Garrison. The two men exchanged looks, Garrison’s questioning, Actor’s cautious. After a second, the Italian asked with a motion of his head and his expression if Garrison wanted to take his place. Craig’s immediate response was a hard urge to get the con man away from his sister, until he remembered the recent conversations with the man and Christine. At this point Terry needed Actor, the one who had saved her, not the brother who had not even been there. As much as it hurt, Craig realized it would not help any of them if he stepped in now, so he shook his head and backed out, pulling the door partially closed behind him to give them privacy.

He walked slowly down the stairs mulling in his mind the scene he had just witnessed. It hurt that Terry had turned to Actor and not himself, but then why would she turn to the brother who had not supported her when she needed it in the past. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Chris came around from the dining room. She stopped and watched him questioningly.

“Is Terry okay?” she asked, wondering at the odd expression on Craig’s face.

“I guess,” he replied vaguely. “Actor’s with her,” he said quietly for her ears only.

Knowing that already, Chris wrapped an arm around her big brother’s and pulled him back into his office, shutting the door. This time he saw empathy in her eyes and understanding.

“Craig, they’re close. They have to be to keep doing the job they do together. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t need family. Just right now she needs him. Later on, she’ll need us too and the other guys. We’re all family here.”

Craig listened to her words, looked away, and tried to reconcile himself with what she was saying. Her fingers under his chin and her thumb rubbing the cleft brought his eyes back to Christine’s.

“Craig, sometime soon, when she’s a little more in control of herself, you two need to get this thing between you about Jake out in the open, dealt with, and buried. You’re not only punishing her for loving somebody, you’re punishing yourself. Hopefully, you can see things more from her perspective instead of what Dad pounded into your head back then.”

“And what if she and Actor . . .?” he couldn’t finish the sentence.

“And what if they do?” returned Crystal, her empathy wearing thin. “She’s twenty-four years old. It’s none of your business what she does. She doesn’t have to answer to you for her personal life. Well, only if it affects the group. Just like you don’t have to answer to her for your personal life.”

Upstairs, Terry finally cried herself out. The stress and the fear and the injuries had taken their toll on her emotions. The relief at the acceptance of her by Actor had broken open the flood gates. She could not remember when last she had cried so hard; not even when she had been torn away from Jake. She leaned back, still in the support of the strong arms that were now a haven and no longer a threat. Embarrassed at her loss of control, she kept her eyes downcast, fingers lightly touching the wet spot on the black shirt, and sniffing. A big, gentle hand suddenly appeared in front of her with a large pristine white linen handkerchief. She accepted it gratefully, dried her face and blew her nose. The hand moved to smooth her hair back.

“That was . . .” started Terry.

“Needed,” supplemented Actor softly.

She looked up at the smile that went with the voice and tried to smile back. “Other than washing your shirt and handkerchief, what can I do to make it up to you for the way I’ve been acting?”

The Italian sucked on one cheek, the sparkle coming back into his eyes. “There is one thing, cara.”

“What?” she asked curiously.

“You can promise me under no circumstances will you ever call me that in front of anyone,” he said firmly.

Terry grinned impishly. “Not my knight, huh?”

“No,” said the man with equal humor.

“How about my count in impeccable tuxedo?” she teased.

“If you must, cara, but not in front of anyone.”

In delighted relief, Terry slipped her arms around Actor’s chest again and leaned her head against it under his chin. His arms encircled her and held her snugly. Gee, he was starting to get the hang of it, she thought. After a minute, she tilted her head and stretched up to place a kiss on his cheek. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, and she received a kiss on her forehead.

“Thank you, caro,” Terry said.

“Thank you, Teresa,” he replied.


	9. Chapter 9

Actor descended the stairs and stopped in the doorway to Garrison’s office. Craig looked up and motioned the con man to come in and take a seat. The Italian perched on the corner of the desk.

“Is she okay?” asked Craig. 

“I believe so,” replied Actor. “We were talking, and she just started crying. I think she has gotten it out of her system. At least for now.”

The con man was looking a little uncomfortable and Garrison noticed the black turtleneck sweater that had replaced the shirt. Terry must have really turned on the water works.

Craig, more at ease now with the situation, had to smile. “Consider yourself blessed,” he said. “Terry doesn’t usually cry, and never on someone. You’ve been anointed.”

“I was honored to be of assistance,” replied Actor, a tad dubiously. He had seen the brief look of anger on the lieutenant’s face upstairs and wondered at the change. He would have to wonder longer.

Chris bounced into the office and stopped short. “Oops, sorry guys, I didn’t realize you were busy.”

Craig leaned back in his chair. “We were just talking. What did you want?”

“I was wondering if you two had eaten yet today,” said Chris.

Craig nodded, “We had a – uh – really good late breakfast.”

“I must reimburse you, Christine,” added Actor, leaning sideways to reach in his right front pants pocket.

“No, you don’t,” objected Chris. “I eat your food when I’m here so you can eat mine. It evens out in the end. So, what did you have?”

Craig looked at Actor with a devilish grin. The con man smiled innocently, “Eggs and bacon.”

Chris looked askance at him. “I had plenty of stuff in the pantry. You couldn’t come up with anything besides eggs and bacon? Typical men, can’t cook.”

Actor rubbed the corner of his mouth with his thumb to hide the grin he shared with Garrison.

“They were really good eggs and bacon,” said Craig.

Chris looked back and forth between the two. Something funny was going on here. Maybe the two of them shouldn’t be left alone together in London at night. “So when would you like supper?” She watched the two men dubiously.

Craig instantly became more businesslike. “I figure I’ll debrief with the guys first and get that over with.”

Oh, that ought to be interesting, thought Chris. “Well, let me know,” said the girl. “I’ll try to come up with something a little more substantial than last night.”

“Why? What was last night?” asked Craig.

“Beef stew, with very little beef or stew.”

“Are we out of food?” asked Craig in annoyance.

“Not quite,” hedged Chris. “I could make Fried Spam Delight . . .?” Two pair of eyes turned to her with identical ‘I don’t think so’ expressions. She grinned and backed toward the door. “Think I’ll go ask Terry what she suggests.”

The two men watched her leave and both chuckled.

Actor shook his head. “I assume Christine is not as creative a cook as Teresa?”

Craig shook his head back. “No. Dirk’s the chef in her little group. His folks were in the restaurant business.” He reached for his pack of cigarettes and shook one out to the Italian. “Want one before we start this mess?”

“Assuredly,” said Actor with feeling.

They smoked their cigarettes and Actor took his usual seat at the table. Garrison went to the doorway and said “debrief” before returning to his usual seat at the opposite end of the table.

The men had all taken their seats at the conference table. The mood was sullen and angry. It was Craig’s startled look up that got their attention. The room went silent. Four more pair of eyes turned to the doorway.

Terry stood in the doorway. She was wearing her pants and shirt, slippers on her feet instead of boots. Her hair was hanging loose but could not cover the black eye and swelling of her left temple. Her expression was serious, unsmiling.

“Terry, you don’t have to do this,” said Craig softly.

“Yes, I do have to do this.” Her eyes were locked with her brother’s.

She took a couple slightly unsteady steps into the room. Her shoulders straightened and she forced herself to not wobble. Actor, being the closest, rose from his chair at the foot of the table and held the chair out for her, one hand reaching out to cup her elbow in support. As she sat, her eyes shifted to the con man’s and they exchanged a look of mutual support that required no words. Terry reached up and squeezed his forearm briefly. 

“Thank you, caro,” she said quietly.

Instead of getting another chair, Actor walked over to perch on the corner of Garrison’s desk, close but putting space between himself and the group.

Craig took a breath to steel himself and started. “Transport in?”

“Weather wasn’t as bad this time as it usually is,” said Casino.

“Krauts wasn’t waitin’ for us,” said Goniff optimistically.

“Now experiencing a mild concussion myself,” said Terry, “He had no business jumping yet.” She gave a slight tilt of her head toward Actor.

“I had no difficulty,” refuted Actor, stiffly.

Garrison’s next words surprised him, not that it showed on his expression. “I agree, Terry. We had no choice.” He moved on. “Safe houses?”

“Easy to guard and defend if it had come to that,” said Chief.

“It ‘ad food this time,” piped up Goniff, eliciting laughter.

“Chief, transportation.”

“No problems.”

Craig turned to his safecracker. “Casino, safe?”

“Piece o’ cake, Warden. His voice was stiff, tense and angry. 

The man was a ticking time bomb. Garrison hoped he could circumvent the explosion.

“Actor, the party?”

“There were no difficulties,” the Italian started. He was interrupted by a loud harrumph by Casino.

“Quiet,” ordered Garrison sternly. “Go on.”

“We obtained a great deal of information from the other – guests. The liquor was very high quality and proof. It loosened tongues more than usual.”

“Transport back?”

“No problem,” said Chief, wondering what the hell was going on, or not going on.

“Fine,” said Craig, starting to push back from the table.

“Hold it, Warden!” shot Casino with open anger. “We ain’t done yet. You just going to ignore it? You going to let him,” he jerked a head toward Actor, “get away with it again? She’s your sister for cryin’ out loud!”

Terry was about to speak, but Craig came to his feet, leaning over the table toward the safecracker on stiff arms, eyes flashing green in barely controlled anger. “Yes, she is my sister! It’s family and family will deal with it! We are not going to discuss it!”

“Yes, we are going to discuss it,” said Terry calmly and firmly.

Craig turned his head to look at her in disbelief.

“We are going to discuss it,” said Terry quietly, “because I want the hostilities in this group to stop. I am tired of the finger pointing and name calling. Especially by people,” she turned a hard, green eyed glare at Casino, “who were not present and do not know what the circumstances were. We are going to discuss it because what happened to me was brought on by . . . me.”

“Teresa!” Actor objected loudly, coming to his feet.

“You nuts, Woman? Like ‘ell it was! You’re crazy!” All four exclamations were shouted in unison.

Garrison stared at her, wondering what had gotten into her. Was she somehow covering for Actor? If that was the case, the con man would not put up with it for long.

Terry gazed around the group. She pointed a finger at Casino. “You be quiet.” She looked at Actor. “You sit down.” Her gaze locked with Craig. “You let me have my say. Or am I no longer a part of this group?”

Craig sat slowly back, crossed his arms in front of him and green eyes clashed with green eyes.

Terry looked slowly around the group. Everyone’s attention was on her with various emotional states, three angry, one shocked, and one tense.

“We were in the ballroom. Actor was doing what Actor was supposed to be doing and doing it with his usual expertise I might add. I was listening, but I was basically there to look good on his arm. There was a man there. This Jaeger person. I had met him at the buffet. There was something that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He did nothing wrong. He was polite. Made small talk. I couldn’t put anything specific to him other than a gut feeling. I went back to Actor. I stuck to him like glue, but I didn’t say anything to him. Mistake number one.”

Actor eyed her, frowning. He remembered her overly present behavior and at the time had thought she did not trust him and was sticking close in case he faltered.

Terry continued. “I didn’t say anything to Actor because he was busy doing his job. What was I going to say? I don’t like that man? He gives me the creeps? Actor had enough to deal with without a stupid woman complaining about something that she could not prove was going to be a problem.” She looked directly at Casino. “He didn’t have a clue there was anything going on. I should have told him. If I had told him, or any of you for that matter, he might have picked up on something I didn’t, but at the least, he would have kept a closer eye on me. Okay, Mistake number two, Jaeger disappeared. I figured he had left the party and I let my guard down. Never assume because you can’t see the danger, it isn’t there. Mistake number three, Actor was getting some really good information out of a couple generals, so I didn’t interrupt to tell him where I was going. I just wandered off to the lady’s room. Mistake number four, I always assumed if something like this were to happen, I could fight my way out of it. I didn’t consider being cold cocked. So, while some of you are trying to blame this on Actor, I will be forever grateful that he and Chief found me before I got worse than bumps and bruises and a concussion.”

Actor spoke up, “Teresa, next time you have a funny feeling, a premonition, anything, you tell me.”

“Thank you, Actor,” said Terry was a small sad smile, “but there isn’t going to be a next time.” She looked at Garrison. “Is there?”

Craig eyed her with the confusion that was on the other men’s faces. Then he realized what she was thinking. Before he could form an answer that would not give too much away in front of the men, Terry took it out of his hands and shoved it in his face.

“You win, Brother. You are not sending me back to the States. I will fight you on that one. But I blew it. Big time. Chris can take me to London with her. I’m not your responsibility anymore.” There were some things she could not say in front of the others, so she switched to Lakota. “I know you blame me for getting into trouble. I saw the look on your face in the safe house. I know you blame the big one for not taking care of me. I can’t go through this again with you. I don’t want you hurting any of them because of me. I’ve tried to prove myself to you, but I guess I just don’t have what it takes. So just let me go and I’ll be out of your hair.”

Craig stared at her, the blood draining from his face as he realized what she had been thinking.

Terry switched to English with a grimace. “My head’s killing me. I have to go lay down. Just let me go, Brother.” She got up, ignoring the uncomprehending faces that watched her. She was almost to the door when Craig’s words stopped her.

“You’re not getting out of this that easy. You’re part of this team now. I can’t speak for them, but I need you. I need you here and I need the expertise you’re learning from them. I know that you didn’t cause this to happen. Nobody is at fault, except maybe me. You think you have to prove yourself to me? You’re wrong, Sister.” He stared at her, fists clenched on the table, willing her to believe him.

Terry looked at him with raised eyebrows. Oh, her head must really be scrambled. She couldn’t help but look at Casino. He was shaking his head in mock disgust.

“Didn’t I tell you before? You got big ones, Babe. We all know it. You take care of us; now let us take care of you.”

Terry frowned and ran a hand through her hair, rubbing her pounding head. “This is not making sense. Okay, would one of you help me upstairs so I can lie down before my head explodes?”

Actor was on his feet and to her side in an instant. He could tell by her pallor she was about to go down again. Casino had sprung up and started toward her. Garrison was on his feet also. 

Terry held a hand out to stop Casino. “Not you,” she said with an attempt at a smile. “My head hurts enough now without hanging upside down over your shoulder.” There were stifled chuckles to that. Casino shrugged with a small smile and sat back down.

Craig’s eyes met Actor’s with a minute nod of approval as the con man scooped Terry up and strode out the door with her. He mounted the stairs and took her to her room, laying her on top of her bed. He removed her slippers and spread the extra blanket over her.

“You didn’t have to carry me you know,” said Terry with amusement.

“I would prefer to carry you than to pick you up off of the stairs,” the Italian replied haughtily.

“I’m sorry, Actor,” Terry said in a quiet voice.

The Italian looked at her questioningly and instead of leaving as he had planned, sat on the bed beside her.

“What are you sorry for, Teresa?” he asked.

“You don’t strike me as the type of man who would like a woman defending him,” said Terry. “But, blast it, you don’t defend yourself. You just wall yourself off and ignore them.”

“Is that why you took the blame?” he asked with a touch of accusation.

“Well it sure wasn’t your fault! It was my fault. If I had told you I had a bad feeling about that man, would you have paid any attention to me?”

“Maybe not. Possibly. You are not a woman who becomes hysterical easily.”

“But you would have kept an eye on me and him, wouldn’t you?” pressed the girl.

“Yes,” admitted Actor.

“Soooo,” said Terry, “not your fault. Mine.”

Actor shook his head at her logic. “Teresa, you did nothing to invite that attack. The man was pazzo. Insane.” He looked at her sadly. “I am truly sorry, cara, that I did not find you in time to stop him from hurting you.”

“Oh, I think your timing was wonderful, caro,” said Terry, reaching for his hand. She rubbed a thumb over the back of it, feeling the cords and thick veins. Funny, she had just been fearful of the strength in his hands and now she found it a comfort.

Actor squeezed her fingers lightly and pulled away from her to get up and disappear into her bathroom. He returned with a cool damp washcloth that he folded and lay across her forehead before sitting back down beside her. He picked up her hand again and held it, now rubbing his thumb across its back.

“Thanks,” said Terry. “That feels better.” She eyed him curiously. “If this is a mild concussion it’s no wonder your brains were scrambled for a while there.”

Actor chuckled. “I suppose that is one way of putting it.” He sat quietly with her watching her trying to stay awake. “Take a nap, Little One. I will come get you for dinner. That is providing you talked your sister out of ‘Fried Spam Delight’.”

Terry grinned at the dubious look on the man’s face. “It’s amazing what one can do with a tin of Spam.” At his doubtful and disgusted look, she laughed. “It’s all right, caro, I talked her out of the Spam.”

“Grazie mille,” the Italian said with exaggerated feeling ending in a wide grin.

Terry’s grin grew bigger. It was so good to have her friend back.

GGGGG

Craig had never taken his seat after Actor had left the room with Terry. Now he fixed Casino with a harsh glare, subsequently taking in Goniff beside him who tended to go along with the safecracker. Without looking away, he said, “Chief, get the door and watch it.”

Silently, the Indian got up and shut the door to just a crack, staying to watch for the return of the confidence man. He realized he was being left out of this little encounter and if he hadn’t been angry with Casino already, he might have felt sorry for the man.

Casino sat back in his chair, one arm over the back, and glared back at the lieutenant with insolent defiance.

“If you have more to say, say it now,” said Garrison, “because after this I don’t want to hear another word. So come on, out with it . . . all of it.”

Casino paused a moment, chewing on his words. “Okay, I figure it was his fault. He was supposed to be watchin’ her back. I figure he just screwed up again.”

Craig lowered himself slowly into his chair. “You really think if Actor knew something wasn’t right, he would allow that to happen to Terry, or any other woman for that matter?”

Casino didn’t answer.

“Come on, Mate,” spoke up Goniff. “You know ‘ow Actor is. ‘E thinks women should be taken care of.”

“Yeah,” shot back Casino. “Well, I’ve seen him get into some walloping good arguments with Terry.”

Craig snorted. “Terry could get into a walloping good argument with a saint.”

The pickpocket grinned widely, “Well that let’s Actor out. ‘E ain’t no saint.”

Craig had to tilt his head down and rub his forehead to hide the grin that was trying to pop out. Even Chief was biting back a smile.

Casino nodded with an open smirk, “That’s for sure.”

Chief felt a little uneasy about what he was going to say next, but Actor wasn’t here to defend himself, and even if he was, he wouldn’t. The young man’s voice was quiet. “None o’ you saw his face when he come out of that building looking for her. It was the first time I seen him almost look scared. And you didn’t see him pick that guy up off’a her and throw him like a rag doll. He didn’t think twice about pullin’ that toy gun out and killin’ him either.” It was a long speech for the Indian and he had the attention of all the men now. He looked hard at Casino. “I bet he’s beatin’ himself up for lettin’ any of that happen worse’n you ever could.”

Casino raised his eyebrows and nodded his head in acceptance of that. Calming down, he knew Chief was right.

“You done with this now?” asked Garrison calmly.

“I guess,” replied the safecracker.

“Good,” said Chief. “’Cause he’s coming down the stairs now.” He moved back to his seat.

The door opened and Actor stood in the doorway looking drolly at the occupants of the room. “Have you finished discussing me, or should I return at a later time?”

“We’re done,” said Garrison, “unless anyone else has something to say.”

Casino puckered his mouth and said grudgingly, “I guess it was good you got to Terry when you did.”

Actor knew it was as much of an apology he was going to get from the feisty con. “Thank you,” he said simply. 

He was about to take a step further into the room when a hand lightly touching his back caused his head to swing around. Christine jumped back, startled.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m interrupting you again.”

Actor took a calming breath. Dio, now Christine was afraid of him. “It is all right,” he said soothingly with a friendly smile on his face. He reached back and ushered her into the office with a hand barely touching between her shoulder blades.

Chris looked to her brother. “Uh, dinner will be ready in a half hour. Is that all right?”

“As long as it isn’t Spam,” said Craig.

“It isn’t,” assured the younger sister. “It’s Terry’s version of Potato Surprise.”

“Oh terrific,” popped out of Casino before he thought.

Christine’s hands went to her hips. “Well I could fry you up some Spam if you prefer, Casino.”

“Oh no!” Casino tossed his hands up. “Potato Surprise is just fine.”

“It better be,” she shot back at him. 

Chris turned on her heels and backhanded Actor in the solar plexis to get him to move out of her way. He stepped back and politely gestured her past. As she stalked out of the room, the men all started to laugh.

A half hour later, Terry was escorted down to the dining room by Actor. She had one hand on the banister and the other in the crook of his arm. She adamantly refused to allow him to carry her. Not that she minded being held where her nose could enjoy his scent and aftershave, but she wanted to have some semblance of independence. 

They were halfway through the potato surprise that really was quite good, when they heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. It was no surprise to Craig or Chris to see Kelly bounce into the room. Terry did not look up but continued to stare at her plate. Kelly stopped short and stared at her, hands on his hips, before looking askance at his brother.

“Okay, I give up. I get a message left on the table at home from Chris that says Terry’s been hurt. And below that you write for me to come here as soon as I get back. So, what’s wrong with Terry?”

The subject of the letter slowly turned her head to look at her younger brother. Kelly’s eyebrows raised and he stared at the black eye. He slowly looked at Casino, who had a smirk on his face. Kelly’s eyes went back to Terry.

“What the hell happened to you? Did Ferretface pop you one?”


	10. Chapter 10

“Kelly!” came several exclamations.

“I did not pop her one!” said Casino defensively. He grinned sardonically. “But if you wanna come over here, I can make you look like her.”

“Casino . . .” said Craig warningly.

The safecracker leaned back in his chair and pasted a benevolent smile on his face that held a hint of sarcasm. “It’s okay, Warden. I know he’s just a big little boy who don’t know any better.”

A glare from Craig stopped the younger brother from responding to that. Kelly changed tactics. “Okay, so what happened to you?” he asked his sister.

Terry shook her head. “Can I eat first before I have to go over this again?”

“Eat your supper,” said Craig. “I’ll fill him in after we eat.”

“Get a chair, Kell,” said Chris, getting up. “I’ll get you a plate.”

The only room at the table was to squeeze between Casino and Actor. Kelly dragged a chair over and jabbed the safecracker with an elbow to get him to move. The two glared at each other, but there was an underlying humor. Chris set a plate of the potato and vegetable casserole in from of Kelly.

“You out of meat?” asked Kelly.

Terry, on the defensive, glared across the table at him. “I haven’t exactly been able to go meet with my Black Market contacts to get any. Goniff and Chris can go tomorrow.”

Casino turned his head to look at the boy. “How come you always know to come when we’re eatin’?”

Kelly grinned at him. “Ma didn’t raise idiots. I can’t cook, and my sisters are good, so I know when to show up.”

“Wot about you, Warden?” asked Goniff cockily. “Can you cook?”

Craig shook his head. “Can’t even boil an egg.”

“Maybe not,” said Chris, “but he’s real good with game over an open fire.”

Garrison kept eating. “Kind of hard to learn when there are four women in the kitchen. Outdoors was the only place the men in the family had.”

“Get them,” teased Terry to her sister. “Men. What, sixteen, fourteen and Kelly was in diapers.”

“Hey!” objected the youngest.  
Casino looked at Terry across the table. “You was in Italy when you were younger. You learn to cook Italian?”

“A little,” admitted the woman. “La mia nonna taught me some.” She smiled. “If you guys can get me a garden put in this Spring, come Fall I’ll can tomatoes and sauce. I make a mean Bolognese.”

“That would be welcome,” said Actor with feeling.

“What?” demanded Casino. “You got something against my spaghetti sauce?”

Anticipating the start of another fight, Actor backpaddled elegantly. “Not at all, Casino. It is that I have not had a decent Bolognese in a very long time.” He turned the attention back to Teresa. “Do you know how to make sausage?”

That brought chortles out of Garrison and Kelly.

Terry fixed the con man with an insincere smile. “Pork, beef, venison or elk?”  
Actor frowned, “Elk?”

“You never had elk?” asked Kelly.

“I don’t believe so,” said Actor.

Chris leaned over to look at the big man. “You probably have never been to our neck of the woods.”

“No, I have not had the opportunity,” replied Actor with a smile.

Craig looked up and asked casually, “So where in the States have you been?”

The con man seemed in the mood to open up a little bit. “New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New Orleans.”

“Yeah, all the great conning capitals of the U. S.,” said Casino. “You missed St. Louis.”

“My understanding of St. Louis was the marks were easy, but it lacked the sophistication of the other cities.”

“Blimey,” choked Goniff, “’e’s a ruddy snob about the States too.”

“And just where have you been?” asked Casino snidely.

“New York,” replied Goniff chirpily.”

“Sing-Sing,” said Casino. He looked back at Actor. “You countin’ the Rock as San Francisco?”

“No,” replied Actor, haughtily.

“You countin’ Leavenworth as Kansas?” shot back Chief.

“Naw, I just visited there,” grinned Casino.

Chris looked expectantly at the young man next to her. “And where have you been, Chief?” she asked with interest.

Chief shrugged, “Arizona, New Mexico, New York, Georgia. Been through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Don’t count none. I never got to see nothin’. Had a posse followin’ me.”

Terry looked around the table at her now extended family. What a group; some of them fairly well traveled and for all the wrong reasons. And she realized she wouldn’t want to trade a one of them. Not even Casino, though when she got better, she would have to knock some sense into the man.

He wasn’t done yet. “So, you eaten elk before?” he asked Chief.

The Indian nodded. “Elk, antelope, possum, coon, lizard, rattlesnake.”

“Rattlesnake?” piped up Goniff brightly. “Does it really taste like chicken?”

“Yup, yeah, yes,” said Chief and the Garrisons in unison.

Actor looked around dubiously. “I am willing to try most anything, but not, I think, snake or lizard.”

Terry grinned at him impishly. “I saw you eating at that party. I’m sorry but that foie gras was nasty. Now the fish eggs were wonderful.”

“That caviar came from a sturgeon,” said Actor. “And you had two obscene portions of it, cara.”

“I didn’t see you leaving any on the plate I brought you,” shot back Terry.

Actor shrugged haughtily. “It would have been impolite to waste it.”

“You were eating caviar?” asked Kelly, impressed.

“Oh, Honey,” smiled Terry teasingly, “He takes me on high class dates.”

“Huh?” Kelly wasn’t sure he had heard that right.

Actor smiled benignly. “Nothing but the best for the Third Reich.”

“Oh,” breathed Kelly in relief. He had been wondering about the relationship between the older confidence man and his sister since hearing Craig’s concerns over the matter.

After supper, Terry was escorted by the cons into the common room and made comfortable in the big chair by the window. Chief disappeared into the kitchen, and Craig took Kelly into his office.

Casino waited until Chief was out of hearing and the lieutenant was behind closed doors before commenting, “Geronimo seems to be spending a lotta time in the kitchen with Chris.”

Terry bristled. “You got a problem with that, you keep it to yourself or me, Mister.”

Casino shot her a startled look. “Uh, no problem. I was just commentin’.”

“Well don’t,” warned the young woman.

That earned a smile from Actor and Goniff. Terry was protective of her little sister and they knew she would normally have no problem taking on the safecracker. Casino was aware of that also and decided to keep quiet.

About a half hour later, the office door opened, and a somewhat subdued and stunned Kelly emerged. He turned to his older sister and shook his head. “Geeze, Terry.”

She smiled at him reassuringly. “It’s all right,” she said. “It wasn’t as bad as it could have been and it’s all over and done with now.”

Actor’s eyes swiveled toward the girl. He seriously doubted it was over or done with. In his opinion, she was not yet out of the woods emotionally.

Kelly approached his sister. Terry levered herself out of the chair and embraced her little brother who was taller than she was. Kelly hugged her and turned his head toward the con man. “Thanks,” he mouthed silently.

Actor gave a slow deliberate blink and a tiny nod of the head in response.

GGGGG

She was tied. She couldn’t fight though she struggled on. The leering face loomed over her, slowly coming closer and closer. The features became more and more grotesque. She struggled harder. He was going to get her and there was nothing she could do. She was gagged . . . but no, the gag was gone. She screamed and screamed again.

There was a thunder of feet in the hall and the bedroom door burst open. The overhead light was flipped on as people tried to crowd into Terry’s bedroom. Craig got in first, followed by Christine and Kelly. Actor halted in the doorway, blocking the other men from coming any closer.

Terry’s eyes were wide and terror-filled as she sprang to a sitting position and looked around wildly. Craig sat on the bed and grabbed her shoulders. She stared at him and tried to jerk away.

“Easy Terry,” said Craig urgently. “It’s me. It’s okay. It was a dream. You’re safe.”

Safe? What safe? Where was Actor? She needed Actor. No, she couldn’t have Actor. Craig was there. Terry gulped air and fought to calm herself. She glanced at her other two siblings. Kelly was looking decidedly worried. Chris locked eyes with her. Chris knew. Chris knew who she needed. It didn’t matter. Craig was there. She tried to see around him but couldn’t without being obvious. God, she didn’t know why, but she needed to see Actor.

Christine stepped closer and laid a hand on her older brother’s shoulder. He looked up to see her steadily looking back at him. She shook her head slowly.

“Actor, come here,” called Chris. “See if you can calm her.”

The Italian stepped forward into the room, watching the lieutenant cautiously. Craig looked at him and back at Terry. The girl’s eyes were still wide, and her nostrils were flared like a horse at a hard gallop. She was trying to keep her eyes on her brother, but they darted quickly back and forth toward the con man. Craig realized he was still on her ‘do not trust’ list. They would have to clear this up and soon. Reluctantly, he released her shoulders and stood up and back from the bed.

“You want to see what you can do with her?” he asked Actor.

“I would be happy to be of assistance . . . with your permission, of course,” said the con man carefully.

Craig nodded and backed away. “Do what you can. She trusts you.”

There was the faintest hint of regret in the young officer’s voice. Actor stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed. He took one of Teresa’s hands in his and was surprised at the strength of the grip in return, fingernails digging into his palm. Her eyes flitted between him and her brother.

Chris took Craig by the upper arm and pulled him gently to the door. “I’ll stay here,” she whispered to him, “if you don’t trust him. You know they aren’t going to do anything.”

“I know,” admitted Craig back in a whisper. 

Christine gently ushered him out with the other men and shut the door. She stayed back, watching unobtrusively.

Terry looked at the con man, avoiding his face. He was dressed in silk pajama bottoms with the top hastily thrown on and not buttoned. She could see a span of broad firm chest and wanted to bury herself in the safety of it. She was afraid to, so she continued to squeeze the hand that held hers.

Actor tilted his head watching her and gently pulled her hand closer. “Come here, Little One. It’s all right.” She melted into him and when she released his hand, put his arms around her and held her closely. He knew she was trying not to cry again. It made him sad to see her like this, scared and uncertain. He hoped she would get her confidence and cocky attitude back soon. but for now, and for whatever reason, Teresa needed him, and he would be there for her as long as he was able. He pushed back his doubts about how Garrison would deal with this.

Christine remained silently apart from them, leaning against the door and just watching. There was nothing condescending or sexual in the way Actor was holding her sister. She could tell he had begun to whisper to Terry but could not hear the words. She watched Terry’s tight grip around the con man slowly relax. Actor continued to talk to her. After a bit, she pulled back, her eyes moist, her breathing steadier. There was a look of embarrassment on her face and she seemed to dab at Actor’s chest with a hand. The Italian’s shoulders shook with a laugh. He said something to her, and she tilted her eyes to look up at him, rolling them and starting to laugh herself. Chris watched as Actor’s hand casually reached up to brush her sister’s hair back behind her ear. He must have said something else to her because she nodded and straightened with a sigh. It was then that Terry noticed her sister by the door. The two locked eyes. Chris gave a reassuring grin and nod of the head. Watching them, the younger girl wondered if they realized how close they were becoming to each other. 

Actor stood and bent over to place a light kiss on Terry’s forehead before walking over to the door and Christine. The younger girl smiled and opened the door for him, brushing fingers lightly down his arm as he moved past her into the hall. Chris shut the door behind him and went over to her sister.

“Okay, what did he say that made you laugh?” she asked.

Terry smiled embarrassedly. “I cried on him once already and he had to change his shirt. So, I was trying not to cry again, but I just couldn’t help it. He said it was all right because I missed his shirt, so he didn’t have to change it.”

Chris smiled and chuckled. “He’s lightening up a little I think.”

“Yeah, a little,” agreed Terry.

“You okay now?” asked her sister.

Terry nodded. “I hate being like this,” she said with self-disgust.

“I think it’s a fairly normal reaction, Sis,” countered Christine. “I’m going back to bed.” As she rose, Terry’s hand grabbed hers.

“Watch out for Actor for me,” begged Terry. “Don’t let Craig do him like Jake.”

Chris nodded. “I don’t think Craig is going to do anything to Actor, but I’ll keep my eyes open.” She paused. “Is Actor like Jake?”

The two exchanged a frank look. “No,” said Terry finally. “He’s just becoming a really good friend.”

GGGGG

The next day, as they were leaving the dining room after breakfast, Craig laid a hand on Terry’s arm and held her back. She looked up at him and went on edge at the serious expression on his face.

“We need to talk,” said Craig. “Come to my office.”

“We need to talk about what?” asked Terry warily.

“New York . . . things.”

“Things or people?” asked Terry immediately on the defense.

“All right, people.”

Oh, she really did not want to do this right now, but she knew it would only get worse if it was put off again. Damn Craig. Well, if he thought he could walk on her because of the shape she was in right now, he had best think again. She might not be working on all eight cylinders, but she wasn’t going down without a fight and this time it would be settled.

She followed Garrison into the common room and toward his office. Christine turned and saw the expressions on both of their faces. She had a feeling she knew what was coming. She wasn’t sure the timing was the best.

“New York and Jake?” she asked accusingly.

“Yes,” replied Craig shortly. Chris started forward. “Just Terry and me,” said Garrison firmly. “You’re not in this.”

“The heck I’m not!” replied Chris hotly. “I was part of it too, remember?”

“You want a piece of me, Chris, you are welcome to talk to me afterward.” It was said with a resigned tone.

Terry looked at her sister and shook her head. “He’s right. This one is my fight.”

“Well, I think it’s a pretty rotten time to be bringing this up.”

Terry smiled wanly. “It needs to be settled before anyone else gets hurt.” She followed her brother into the office and shut the door firmly behind them.

Chris stood watching the door, hands unconsciously balled into fists. She did not notice the silence in the common room until Casino spoke.

“So, what’s this thing with New York and that guy from the Fox?”

Chris turned around and slowly looked at the worried, questioning faces that were looking back at her. Why not? The way Terry and Craig fought, they would probably hear it through the door pretty soon anyway.

“Terry and Jake were lovers in New York. I was with them, with Jake’s brother, Nick. Craig was sent to get us away from them. He succeeded, but it wasn’t pretty and there have been problems between Craig and Terry ever since.”

“And this is why she is afraid of the lieutenant?” asked Actor, suddenly getting the picture.

“She’s not afraid of him,” clarified Chris. “She’s afraid of what he will do to . . . other people.” The younger girl saw the understanding dawn in the confidence man. “They have to straighten it out between the two of them,” she said firmly. “This started before you guys were even an idea in . . . somebody’s head. You all need to stay out of it.”

“We’re in it, aren’t we?” Chief asked with more than casual meaning.

“Not yet,” replied Chris. “And hopefully there won’t be a backlash from this.” She tipped her head toward the door.

Now all five pair of eyes went to the door.

Terry stopped in the middle of the floor, eyes following her brother as he went and stood by the window, hands clasp behind his back, looking outside. The silence went on.

“It’s Actor isn’t it?” asked Terry accusingly.

“Not exactly,” said Craig.

“Then just what exactly is it?” Terry was very much on the defensive now.

“I owe you an apology.” He still did not turn around.

That caught her up short. It wasn’t at all what she had expected to hear. “You what?”

Craig turned around and glanced at her guiltily before lowering his gaze. “I owe you an apology. I thought back then I was doing right. I realize now I was wrong. Wrong to get in it in the first place and wrong to keep distrusting you afterwards. I’m sorry. You were already an adult then. I had no business doing Dad’s dirty work for him and inflicting his values onto you.” He looked at her and sucked in one cheek in contemplation. “I guess I was still of the belief that everything Dad said was gospel.”

“I think we both have gotten over that one now,” said Terry wearily. She sank into the chair in front of his desk. This was throwing her for a loop. She tried to straighten things out in her mind. After a moment she looked up at him. “Craig, I’m afraid to even try to get close to a man. You seem to think if I show an interest in anyone that I’m sleeping with them. You’ve accused me of that enough times with Actor. God only knows what you’ve said to him,” she spoke with embarrassment.

Craig shrugged his eyebrows and looked even guiltier. 

Terry caught the look and cringed. “Oh, that’s just wonderful.” Maybe she could explain her relationship with Actor to him in a way he would understand. And maybe while she was doing it, she could explain her relationship with Actor to herself. “Craig, Actor and I are becoming partners. To pull off the cons we have to be close. We have to know each other like the back of our hands. In the roles we are playing at the parties, we have to look like lovers. Obviously, you know I have a problem with that. When we’re alone, I think I am doing pretty good. But when you’re around I have that nagging worry in the back of my mind that you are going to retaliate against one or both of us. It makes me dangerous, to myself, to Actor, and to the mission. I have no idea what Actor thinks about it because I’m too embarrassed to ask him. He is such a professional I am sure he overcomes any doubts about what you might do.”

Terry paused for air. Craig sat on the corner of his desk and said nothing, but she could see the cogs working in his mind. His lower lip was caught between his teeth. He was about to get something else to chew on. “For the last time,” she said with restrained quietness, “I have not and am not having a – sexual – relationship with Actor. And in the future, if I decide to have one,” it’ll never happen she thought, “it’s none of your business.”

Craig released his lip and nodded. “You’re right. It will only be my business if you let it affect the group.”

Terry eyed him with a bit of wary confusion. He was conceding too easily. Was it a ploy or was he sincere? He looked sincere. He had started this conversation, so she was going to push it. “Now, about Jake. . .” Craig looked up at that. “You were right; he wasn’t good for me. The life we were leading wasn’t good for me. Your methods were inexcusable.”

Garrison’s eyebrows rose. “As I recall, Sister, you threw the first punch.”

Terry shrugged. “It was aggravated assault.”

Craig stared at her. They both snorted out a laugh. It was the first time they had ever found anything humorous about it. 

Garrison pointed a warning finger at his sister. “Don’t you ever tell any of them how you beat me up.”

Terry grinned. “That’s only because you were pulling your punches and I wasn’t. You did teach me almost everything I know.”

“Almost everything?” teased Craig.

“Hey, Brother, I did not spend half of my vacations in Italy in Zio Giovanni’s brothel.” That lead her to another thought, and she eyed him with concern. “Speaking of which, what is the matter with you? I know the couple times you visited Dad in Washington, you could have given Actor a run for his money. What’s the matter with you now?” Her eyes narrowed and the corner of her mouth curled. “You haven’t decided you like boys, have you?”

“TERRY!”

That exclamation was heard into the common room. Christine’s face broke into a Cheshire cat grin. “Get him, Sister,” she said. Four pair of male eyes turned from the office door to the smug young woman.

“Well?” continued the middle sister. “You don’t seem to have any kind of - uh – romantic life.”

Craig glared at her. “If you’re referring to my sex life, it’s just fine. I prefer to keep it private, thank you.”

Eyebrows shooting skyward, Terry asked, “You have one?”

“Yes,” admitted the young man. 

“You have a girlfriend?” The sister was trying to digest this bit of news.

“Yes, and it’s none of your or their business, especially theirs.” Somehow this conversation had gotten totally out of his control. “Enough, get back to Jake.”

“Jake.” Terry decided to give her brother a break. “He was my first love so there will always be a tiny spot in my heart for him, but now he’s just a friend. He’s with Kit and that suits me fine.”

“If he wasn’t, would you go back to him?” asked Craig curiously.

Terry shook her head. “No. It’s over.”

“What about Actor?”

Terry almost lost her temper again but treated it instead as a rational question. “Craig, look at Actor and look at me. We are so much not each other’s type.”

“I look at you and him at those parties and I can see it,” nudged Garrison.

“Yeah? Well I can’t. And I’m positive he can’t either.” She sobered. “Are you okay with this now?”

Craig nodded. “Are you okay with me now?”

“I guess,” said Terry was faked reluctance. "Are you okay with me now?"

“I guess," Craig mimicked her.

Terry's mouth twitched in amusement. She couldn't resist asking, "So if I went out that door and jumped Actor right now, it wouldn't bother you?"

"It would bother me," said Craig. "Because it would bother the others and I'm not sure that it wouldn't bother Actor."

"Oh, I know it would bother Actor," laughed Terry. "I don't think he likes his women pushy." Then she remembered Marilee. "Well, maybe he does . . ."

"He likes 'em sexy and elegant," said Craig with certainty.

"Well, there now, you see, Brother?" teased Terry. "That definitely lets me out." She quickly tried to sneak one in. "What's her name?"

“Whose name?” Craig was ready for her.

"This mysterious girlfriend."

"None of your business."

Terry stood up and shook her head. "Funny name. Must be foreign." Craig gave her a sour look. She just smiled back. "You're making this up."

Craig shook his head. "No, I'm not. Ask Chris."

"Crystal knows about this?" asked Terry in outrage. "And she didn't tell me?"

"I told her not to."

Terry snorted and went to the door. Craig followed her, grinning at her back. He loved it when he got one over on her. Stepping out into the common room, they paused and turned to the five faces that were staring at them.

"My turn now?" asked Chris.

Terry waved a dismissive hand at her. "Don't bother. We're good."

"You're good," repeated the younger girl. "You're good?"

"Yeah, for a trial period," said Terry shooting a cocky glance at Craig.

Chris looked at the two in disbelief. "After all this time, that's it? You're good?"

Craig nodded.

Terry raised an eyebrow at her younger sister. "But you and I have to go upstairs and have a little discussion about sisterhood and secrets."

Chris looked askance at Craig, who merely shrugged. She grinned broadly at Terry and rubbed her hands together. "Oh, yes, we have to talk."

Craig waited until the girls had gone upstairs. He had one more person he needed to apologize to and this wasn't going to be easy either. The men had gone back to what they had been doing. The Italian was just finishing fixing a pipe.

"Actor, I need a word with you, in my office," said Craig.

The con man looked up with a congenial smile. "Of course, Lieutenant." He rose from his chair, pipe clamped between his teeth and followed Garrison into his office. He took a seat in the chair in front of the desk, curious to see if this was related to what had just taken place in this room.

Craig returned to the window, running a hand through his blond hair. How was he going to apologize to the older man without looking like the fool he felt he was. He edged his way into it.

"I just had an interesting talk with Terry." Craig turned around to look at the inscrutable face that watched him. He watched a plume of white exhaled smoke waif toward the ceiling. "How much do you know about Terry and Jake?"

"What little Teresa has told me. I know of her previous relationship with the man, the hospital, the speakeasy," Actor replied cautiously.

"And the three of us?" asked Craig. It didn't surprise him that his sister had confided in the Italian. He was easy to confide in.

Actor shook his head. "She did not mention you. However, I assume you were the one to remove her from that situation?"

"Oh, I removed her all right. And Chris." His regret sounded in his voice.

"To be placed in that position could not have been easy for you, Warden."

The quiet tone and the use of Craig's nickname, helped ease his tension. Damn the man was good. He could have been a psychologist. "It wasn't and I didn't handle it well." There was nothing forthcoming from Actor, so Craig continued. "Chris was easy. She did as she was told and went back to the ranch. Nick was killed in France some time later. It was hard for her."

He stopped, thinking of his other sister.

"And what of Teresa?" prompted Actor.

"She's a fighter," said Craig. "So's Jake. He and I got into it physically. He ended up in a hospital and Terry ended up with Dad in Washington. Dad's opinion of Terry's moral status at the time was pretty poor and I guess I bought into it. When she came here and you two started working together, I just assumed if she slept with Jake, she'd sleep with you."

"And do you still believe that?" asked Actor.

"No," replied Craig. He sat down in his chair and pulled a cigarette from his pack. "And for that I owe you an apology."

"Accepted, but not necessary," said Actor leaning forward to light it with his silver lighter. "And understandable. I have a certain reputation among the ladies which I try diligently to maintain."

Craig bit back a smile at that.

Actor continued. "While I enjoy Teresa's company, she is not the type of woman I prefer to share my bed with. For one, there is the age difference. I am much too old for her. I also prefer my women more mature and a little less independent. I realize Teresa has had some experience in the art of lovemaking, but I would rather not have to teach the woman. I find it more enjoyable with someone who is well versed in the act."

Now that he thought about it, Craig just could not picture Terry and Actor in bed together. It was actually kind of funny. God, how could he have been so stupid.

"I think," said Actor slowly, "no matter what the ages are, the older brother is always protective of the younger sister."

Craig looked up at him. Was that the voice of experience? Was there a younger sister to the con man? He knew better than to ask. "Yeah, I think you're right," he said. "Now if we could just get Terry sorted out . . ."

"It will take time, but I believe she will be able to work her way through this," predicted Actor.

"I hope so."

GGGGG

Over the next few days, things did improve. As Terry's eye healed so did the headaches and dizziness. Her presence was not required on the next couple of missions, giving her more time to recuperate. Chris and Kelly went back to London and the normal chaotic routine returned to the mansion. Actor resumed his education of Teresa in art history and music.

So it was that one afternoon Terry approached Actor's chair, carrying a large, open art book. She stopped beside him and waited for him to look up. When he did, she asked, "Could I ask you a couple questions?"

"Of course, cara," he replied. He closed the book his was reading and set it aside, allowing her to place her tome on his lap. It was open to some photographs of religious frescos on walls in Italy. He moved his arm and motioned with his head for her to sit beside him on the arm of the chair.

She did, just leaning slightly against his shoulder. "Okay, first question. Not related to this." She pointed at the book. "I would imagine you have seen the statue of David?"

"Many times," he assured her.

"Okay just using that as an example. The sculpture shows greatly detailed strong musculature. The veins are anatomically correct, the nails are perfect. There are just some things out of proportion."

"Ah, yes," interrupted Actor. "The right hand is disproportionately large. Michelangelo was trying to portray the strength and power in that one hand that was able to defeat the giant, Goliath, with just a sling and a rock."

"I understand that," said Terry. She hesitated. "Uh, there are other things that aren't quite right. Like . . .uh . . ." She was having trouble asking. When she looked up, she saw Casino and Goniff watching her. Actor was waiting patiently. Terry slipped off the chair and twisted around to whisper in the con man's ear. To her horror, he burst out with a loud guffaw of laughter. Now he had everybody's attention. "Oh, yeah, laugh at me!" she objected in embarrassment. "You know how long it took me to get up the courage to ask you that?" That only caused Actor to laugh harder.

Craig came to the door of his office to see what his sister had done. He had not heard his second laugh in a long time, and it was good to hear, even if it was embarrassing the hell out of Terry.

"Wad did she ask you?" Casino wanted to know.

Chief was grinning from ear to ear. "Ain't never seen her turn that shade a red before."

"Must 'ave been good," added Goniff.

"Oh, never mind!" Terry got up to flee.

Actor grasped her hand and pulled her back. "Sit down," he chortled, keeping her hand firmly in his. "I am sorry, Teresa. That was too delightful." He tried to regain his composure.

"Hysterical is more like it," grumbled Terry.

Actor set down his pipe and pinched the bridge of his nose with the thumb and forefinger of his left hand to prevent the tears of laughter from escaping the corners of his eyes. The things that woman could come out with. He made an attempt at a serious answer.

"Yes, there is that. If you have noticed, the same can be said about most of the statues and sculptures of that era. And I apologize, however I do not have an answer to your question. It is a good question though." He could not resist adding. "Of course, only females would be most inclined to notice this." Feeling her about to try to flee again, he hurriedly asked, "And what was your other question?"

Terry pointed to the pictures on the pages. "There are all these beautiful frescos, and somebody came along and did that to them."

"Ah, yes. You must remember that especially in the north of Italy the culture was closely aligned with the Celts. The body was worshiped and revered. Then Catholicism took over. The nudity of the religious paintings was considered a sacrilege. The Pope hired a man whose job it was to go around to as many paintings as possible and paint coverings over the pubic areas."

Terry pointed to one particular painting. "Yes, but that looks like he painted pants on the Christ child for cryin' out loud!"

"Let's see that," said Casino.

Actor let go of Terry's hand and, taking the open book, rose from his chair to lay it on the table beside the safecracker. Even Goniff and Chief gathered around to see. Actor started his little lecture on the effects of Catholicism on Italian art.  
Terry joined her brother to stand a little behind and to the side of the group. It was good to see Actor back in the center of the men after keeping himself separated from them for so long. The slightly arrogant tone was back in the con man's voice. As they listened to the explanation of the pantaloons, Craig whispered into Terry's ear, "Look's like Actor's back." Terry nodded.

"Now if you are going to become involved in the theft of great art, you must know the differences within each era."

Terry's hand flew up to cover her mouth suppressing a laugh. She glanced up to see her brother biting his lower lip for the same reason. She whispered in his ear, "Oh, Actor is definitely back."

Craig shook his head. "Thank God," he muttered sincerely, and headed for his office. Terry walked up and lay one hand on Actor's back and the other on Casino's shoulder and leaned over the safecracker to see the book.

"Aw, a painting's a painting," scoffed Casino.

"Not so," said Actor, flipping to an example of Renaissance art.

"Hey, go back, these women got clothes on . . ."


End file.
